Haunted
by Wicked.Essence
Summary: Heatherpaw doesn’t know what to do. A spirit that belongs to neither StarClan nor the Place Of No Stars has come back to haunt her. One by the name of Swiftpaw. How can Heatherpaw be a normal apprentice when she has a tag-along only she can see?
1. Prologue

**Full Summary- Heatherpaw doesn't know what to make of him. A spirit that belongs to neither StarClan nor the Place Of No Stars has come back from the dead to haunt her. Enter Swiftpaw, a former ThunderClan apprentice who was attacked viciously by dogs many years ago. What's his goal? How can Heatherpaw be a normal apprentice when she has a tag-along only she could see? Not everything at ThunderClan is as normal as it seems. (Rated T to be safe)**

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**Prolouge

"_Don't worry, Brightpaw. I know what I'm doing." _

_The ginger-white she-cat wasn't so sure. "I thought you said this was going to be just fine! I have a bad feeling about this…"_

"_Don't worry!" The black and white tom flicked his ears towards the cave. "Bluestar will make us warriors after this, I know it!"_

_Brightpaw still looked uneasy. "Well, I really want to become a warrior…"_

"_Then what are we waiting for? Let's see who's been eating our prey!"_

_Brightpaw looked around the SnakeRocks. "I thought I scented something over there by the-" She quickly turned her head around. "Swiftpaw!"_

_The tom was slowly creeping towards the cave, his tail and haunches low. "See, Brightpaw?" He called, standing up straight. "There's nothing here!" _

_Swiftpaw took a closer look inside the dark cave. Something_ did_ smell odd…_

_Brightpaw let out a cry. "Swiftpaw, look out!"_

_A black shape hurled itself at the apprentice. Swiftpaw felt teeth close around his neck and he let out a gargled screech. He thrashed and twisted himself around, trying to swipe at whatever had a grip on him. _

_It was a dog! Swiftpaw finally wrenched himself free, crashing into the rock behind him. The black dog let out a snarl and the apprentice saw his own blood seep into the cracks of the earth-worn ground. _

"_Pack, pack!" The dog snarled, its voice like thunder. "Kill, kill!" _

_Swiftpaw glanced at Brightpaw, who stood transfixed at the spot. He then focused back at the dog. _It's only one…_he thought. _I could handle that.

_Brightpaw ran towards him, her pelt bristling in fear._

"_Are you alright?" She asked breathlessly._

_Swiftpaw bared his teeth. "Does it _look _like I'm alright?"_

_Brightpaw opened her mouth to say something, but the dog let out a bark, started to advance towards them, its head low and bloodstained teeth bared. _

_She suddenly let out a hiss and lunged forward, slashing it across its ugly face. It jumped back with a startled yelp. _

"_It's only one! We could take it on!" Swiftpaw told her as she retreated to his side once again. _

_Brightpaw then gasped. "N-no it's not!" She cried. _

_Swiftpaw looked around and his jaw dropped. There were_ six_ dogs!_

_They all snarled and howled, making Swiftpaw's blood turn ice cold. Something told him they were not going to make it. _

"_Pack, pack!" They grumbled all together. "Kill, kill!"_

_Before any cat could make a move, they sprang at them. Swiftpaw was immediately caught off guard and he landed on his back, his soft underbelly exposed. He felt jaws close around on his belly and he gave an agonized cry. He swiped at the dog's face and it let go with an enraged howl. _

_Swiftpaw quickly got up and lunged himself at another dog. He quickly caught sight of Brightpaw, pinned down by the first black dog. _

_The black and white tom buried his claws into the dog's pelt and he bit into its shoulder, but he was tossed away like some sort of prey. He felt another set of jaws close around his tail, and he whirled around and swiped at the dog's nose, feeling the rush of blood as he made contact. _

_The dog let go of his tail and let out a howl. The apprentice took advantage of its distraction and ran up the nearest tree, but as soon as he reached the first limb, he felt a pair of claws score down his back and he was brought crashing down to the blood-soaked ground once again._

_He felt jaws closing on his bloody throat and he gave one last, defiant snarl. _

_Suddenly, his vision went black. Swiftpaw was dead._

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**Familiar scene, isn't it? Please R&R. Chapter 1 will be up soon. **

**-Evanessence**


	2. Chapter 1

**Whoa, 4 reviews already? Cool! Thanks for reviewing! Here's the first chapter for you all!**

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Chapter 1

"Is this it, Nightstar?"

"No, no. Do it again."

Heatherpaw let out a groan. What could she do to please the leader? She tried the hunting crouch once again, her haunches low. She crept forward, her heather-colored eyes trained on a pinecone in front of her.

"Heatherpaw, we've been through this before! If you were hunting a mouse, it would've heard you a long time ago with all the racket you would've made."

"But, Nightstar-"

"Don't 'but Nightstar' me, young lady." The black she-cat growled. "You have to be perfect."

The light brown tabby she-cat let out a grumble.

"What is that?" Nightstar flicked her ears. "Do I hear a complaint?"

Heatherpaw shook her head. "N-no, Nightstar. I'll try again."

"No, that's enough for today." The leader gave a stretch and yawned. "It's getting late and I have a warm den calling for me back at camp. We'll do this again tomorrow and I expect perfection, alright?"

Heatherpaw sighed and nodded. "I'll practice more."

Nightstar gave her a brisk nod and left the training hollow, the fronds swaying behind her.

Heather suddenly let out an irritated hiss. "Why does she have to be so hard on me?" She growled. "I'm not perfect, like she _thinks _she is."

She batted the pinecone she was supposed to be hunting. "What _is _perfection anyways?" She watched it roll away and she dropped down to her haunches once again. She snarled at the pinecone. "I'm going to catch you, you stupid pinecone."

The pinecone gave no response, because, of course, it was a pinecone.

Heatherpaw crept forward, feeling the sandy ground shift through her underbelly fur. At the last moment, she pounced, her claws landing on the pinecone. A loud_ crunch_ was heard, and she retreated with a yelp of pain.

"I didn't know you could bite!" She hissed angrily at the crushed pinecone. She looked at her front pawpads and saw blood ooze from their delicate cracks.

"Aw! Look what you did!" She told the pinecone and started to lick them, her nose crinkling at the harsh, metallic taste of blood.

Suddenly, she felt a cold breeze sweep up from behind her and she turned her head to see what it was. She gave a gasp.

A black and white tom appeared, his head cocked to the side in an expression of confusion.

"Were you talking to…a _pinecone_?" He asked.

Heatherpaw flattened her ears in embarrassment and turned around completely so she could face the strange cat. She had never seen him before in any of the Clans around the lake. _Must be a loner…_she thought.

"I asked you a question." The tom mewed, curling his tail around his paws.

"No, I was_ not_ talking to the pinecone." Heatherpaw growled. "Who are you?"

The tom flicked his ears and looked thoughtful for a moment, then replied, "My name is Swiftpaw."

"Swiftpaw?" Heatherpaw raised a brow in interest. _His name ends in 'paw', so he must belong to a Clan and he's an apprentice, just like me!_ She thought.

"Yes." Swiftpaw mewed. "Your crouch was excellent, uh…"

"Heatherpaw." As she stated her name, the tom's ears flicked forward.

"As in, Heatherpaw of WindClan?"

Heatherpaw flushed. She hated being named after a WindClan warrior, much less a traitorous one. "No," She mewed flatly. "The other one."

Swiftpaw looked confused. "Which…other one? Is there another one?"

"Yes." Heatherpaw answered.

Swiftpaw's amber eyes twinkled for a second and then it disappeared just as fast as it came. "Like I said, your crouch is coming along really well."

Heatherpaw let out a grumble. "Try telling that to my grouch of a mentor."

"You mean Nightstar? The ThunderClan leader?"

"Uh-huh."

"You should listen to her. Leaders are very wise, you know." He then frowned for some reason.

Heatherpaw laughed, not noticing his sudden change of mood. "Right. Try being her apprentice for a few days and you'll wish those words never came out of your mouth."

Swiftpaw smiled and chuckled. "Oh, I see we have a little disrespectful kit here."

Heatherpaw's eyes blazed. "What did you say?"

"I said,"

"Heatherpaw!" A voice called out from behind them. Heatherpaw turned her head to see a brown tabby tom with amber eyes. She smiled.

"Hey, Eaglepaw!" She greeted.

She then turned her head back to Swiftpaw, but he was gone. _Where did he go?_ She thought in frustration.

"Who were you talking to?" Eaglepaw asked, padding up to her side.

Heatherpaw was about to say 'Swiftpaw' but figured it was better to leave this between the mysterious tom and her. "Uh…no-one." She stammered.

"It sounded like you were having a whole conversation. Are you okay?"

Heatherpaw shuffled away from him. "I'm fine, Eaglepaw."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Okay, then, suit yourself."

Heatherpaw looked up at the setting sun. "I'm just tired and it's getting late. I've had a whole day of training and quite frankly I don't feel like moving."

"I could carry you to camp if I could." Eaglepaw mewed chivalrously.

Heatherpaw sighed heavily and cuffed his ears. "Flattery is not going to get you anywhere, Eaglepaw."

The tom shrugged and smiled. "It doesn't hurt to try."

Heatherpaw shrugged and flicked her tail on his shoulder. "Let's go, mouse-brain."

Eaglepaw nodded.

"Before we go, can I ask you a question?" She asked.

"Yes, but you already did."

Heatherpaw cocked her head in confusion. "Huh?" Eaglepaw can be _very_ confusing at times.

"Just go ahead."

Heatherpaw blinked at him. "Have you ever heard of a Swiftpaw?"

Eaglepaw's brows furrowed in thought. "Uh, no. Never heard of him. Why do you ask?"

Heatherpaw shrugged. "Just curious." She looked back at where Swiftpaw was once standing, but it was as if he was never there.

Eaglepaw let out a purr. "You definitely need some rest. Let's go." Without another word, he left, his dark brown tail flicking behind him.

Heatherpaw followed him, taking one last look behind her.

She did not notice the two sad amber eyes in the bushes staring at her as she passed by. With one blink, they were gone.

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**I'm going to be gone for two weeks, therefore this won't be updated until I'm back, so hang on tight until Chapter 2!**

**-Evanessence**


	3. Chapter 2

**I managed to sneak in computer access from the place I'm staying at for a little update. This chapter's longer than the others (I'm just too lazy to write long chapters…I also have tons of other writing to do!) And, plus, it's almost fifty-degrees here so my fingers are too frozen to even type. I'm lucky that they're even thawed enough to type this up! Enjoy! **

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Chapter 2

Heatherpaw walked through the ThunderClan camp entrance with Eaglepaw in tow. She quickly separated herself from him and ran towards the Nursery, a small den inside the rocky gorge walls of their home.

She padded inside, the springy moss feeling cool underneath her injured pads. She looked around and quickly saw what she was looking for. Her mother.

She was a dark-gray she-cat, her belly large with the kits she was carrying. Her ears flicked forward when she saw her daughter.

"Oh, Heatherpaw. I didn't expect you to come today."

Heatherpaw quickly padded over to her and touched her nose to her mothers. "I just wanted to stop by and say hi."

"Well, hi, then." Her mother chuckled. "You seem so busy these last few days with your training, so I thought you would forget all about me."

Heatherpaw shook her head vigorously. "Of course not, mother! I wouldn't say such a thing!"

The dark-gray she-cat licked the apprentice's nose affectionately. "Don't worry. I'm just teasing with you."

A loud grumble from farther into the Nursery caught Heatherpaw's attention.

"For your information, Smokefeather, cats are trying to sleep here!"

Heatherpaw's mother let out a sigh and sat up, her swollen belly bulging awkwardly. "Oh, Birdflight, put a thorn in it, will you?"

Heatherpaw giggled. She could see the other queen's amber eyes glint angrily.

"My kits are sleeping for once! Do you_ need_ another reason?" She hissed.

Smokefeather nodded understandingly. "I see." She whispered. She turned to Heatherpaw as Birdflight's snores resumed filling up the empty space around them. "We have to be quieter."

Heatherpaw nodded. "I am just about to go, anyways." She mewed, her voice several tones softer.

Smokefeather licked the top of her forehead. "Did you happen to see your father on the way over here?" She whispered in her ear.

Heatherpaw shook her head. "He went on a patrol earlier, I think. With Owlflight and Icefang."

Her mother nodded. "Alright. If you_ do_ see him, though, tell him I want to speak to him."

Heatherpaw cocked her head in confusion. What could her mother want from her father? Is there something wrong? Before she could finish brooding, Smokefeather nudged her towards the entrance.

"Go. I think I hear Birdflight again."

Heatherpaw padded forward a few pawsteps and waved her tail goodbye. Her mother nodded in response and the apprentice darted away.

She did not get within a few tail-lengths away from the Nursery when she heard a familiar mumble behind her. She turned around.

It was a light brown tabby tom. Otherwise known as her father, Raggedstorm.

"Heatherpaw." He mewed gruffly.

Heatherpaw gritted her teeth. Just Heatherpaw. No 'hello' or 'how are you?' No. Heatherpaw. As if she was some other warrior, not his own daughter.

She shuffled her forepaws. "Uh…mother wanted to see you."

Raggedstorm looked confused, the same identical look that she had given her mother just minutes before. Many could say that the two are in fact twins, not just father and daughter. The only difference was his eyes were the deepest shades of gray, instead of Heatherpaw's feminine heather color.

"She did?" He asked.

"Yes."

Raggedstorm let out a huff. "Well, that's strange." He padded away from her without another word and slithered into the Nursery.

Heatherpaw sighed. She never had a close relationship with her father, as she had seen in many kits and their fathers. _Maybe he's just not that social._ She thought. _Or maybe he just doesn't like me…_

She looked up and jumped at the sight of a she-cat looming over her.

"Jumpy today, Heatherpaw?" the white cat asked, her head tipping to the side.

Heatherpaw stood up and shook her tabby pelt. "No."

"What's the matter?" The white she-cat pressed, her green eyes growing concerned.

"It's my father. He's just so…"

"Awkward?"

Heatherpaw nodded. "And so distant too. I don't know what to do, Rosepaw. He's my_ father_ after all."

Rosepaw flicked her tail in thought. "Well, my father and I get along just fine…if that helps."

Heatherpaw bared her teeth. "No it does _not_!"

Rosepaw shrank back. "Hey! What's wrong with you? You have thorns in your pelt or something?"

Heatherpaw sighed. "It seems like it." She then smiled at her friend. "I'm sorry, Rosepaw."

"Apology accepted." She grinned. "Want to go pick on Redfeather?"

Heatherpaw flushed and suddenly felt uncomfortable. "Uh…maybe another day?"

Rosepaw blinked. "You're acting really weird today, Heatherpaw. If…if there was something wrong, you would tell it to me, right?"

Heatherpaw nodded. "Of course, Rosepaw. You're my best friend."

Rosepaw's face broke out in a grin. "Good!"

Heatherpaw raised a brow. "Is something going on that I should know about?" She asked coyly.

Rosepaw gave her a small smile. "Maybe."

Heatherpaw jumped up. "Spill!" She cried.

Rosepaw shushed her. "Nuh-uh, it's a secret!"

Heatherpaw suddenly barreled into her, pinning her down. "Oh, do tell!" She whimpered. "I'm absolutely _dying_ to hear it!"

"Okay, okay! Get off, you big lump of fur!" Rosepaw growled playfully.

Heatherpaw jumped off, her eyes shining in excitement. Rosepaw rarely had a secret. Ever. If Heatherpaw could change her friend's name, it would be Nosecretpaw.

Rosepaw got up and shook her pelt. She leaned forward to whisper into Heatherpaw's ear, but a sharp hiss cut off her words.

"What are you kits doing out here?"

Heatherpaw's heart sank at the sound of the voice. She turned around and came face-to-face with a russet-red she-cat.

"Foxpaw…" She heard Rosepaw mutter under her breath.

"Yes, it's me." The she-cat snapped. "And look who I have brought."

A cat stood behind Foxpaw, a confused look on his handsome face.

Heatherpaw suddenly felt like melting into a puddle. She was speechless, her tongue caught in her throat.

"We aren't doing anything wrong, Foxpaw." Rosepaw growled defiantly.

Foxpaw smirked. "It's way past curfew, little kitties. Look, it's already nighttime."

Heatherpaw looked up. The stars of Silverpelt shined like beacons across the vast darkness of the sky.

"Since when did we have a _curfew_?" Rosepaw asked, bringing Heatherpaw's eyes back to the scene.

The tom cleared his throat. "Uh…Nightstar declared earlier today that we should have a curfew at sundown."

"But that's silly." Rosepaw argued. "Nightstar was out training with Heatherpaw."

The tom looked at the apprentice, and Heatherpaw looked down at her paws, afraid she might show her embarrassment somehow in her eyes.

"She said it so." The tom mewed, his deep voice leaking with regret. It seems he doesn't like this 'curfew' either. "Her word is law."

"My brother has the honorable duty to enforce the rule," Foxpaw purred, her green gaze penetrating through the younger cats, "starting with you two."

"Why do we have to have this curfew, Redfeather?" Rosepaw asked the tom.

Redfeather sighed. "No clue, actually."

"It's almost like keeping us prisoner in our own camp!"

Redfeather shook his head. "It's our leader we're talking about. She knows what's best for us."

Heatherpaw smirked. "She's afraid we might go to the other Clans and spoil her perfect ThunderClan. Hah, sure."

Redfeather looked at her once again.

She flattened her ears, wishing she could just run away and escape from his sight. She felt like a tiny mouse caught in a corner when he was staring at her like that.

"You might be right, Heatherpaw." He agreed, and then switched his gaze back at Rosepaw.

Heatherpaw felt a rush of pride rise up in her young heart. _Redfeather agrees with me!_ She thought happily, her head feeling as if it was high up in the clouds.

"Well, this stinks." Rosepaw growled.

"Better get used to it." Foxpaw sneered.

"Speaking of curfew," Redfeather turned to his sister. "You are not above everyone else, Foxpaw. Go to sleep."

"But-" The russet red she-cat started.

"Go."

"Argh!" Foxpaw stormed off, her tail lashing behind her.

"It's about _time_ someone spoke the truth!" Rosepaw muttered.

Heatherpaw giggled. "And her own brother too!"

Redfeather looked at them, his amber eyes glittering with amusement. "Off you go, you two. I'm keeping watch tonight, so I'm expecting I won't hear a peep out of you two, right?"

Rosepaw nodded. "Of course, O Great Redfeather. We'll be as silent as a leaf falling from a tree…" She then nudged Heatherpaw's shoulder with her nose. "Right?"

Heatherpaw mumbled what might have been an agreement, but it must have been enough for Redfeather, for he left them alone.

Heatherpaw softly exhaled. Being around Redfeather made her feel…weird.

"C'mon!" Rosepaw mewed. "This curfew thing won't last too long, you'll see. Just a few days and the rest of us, including Nightstar, are going to forget about it."

"Let's hope so." Heatherpaw nodded and followed Rosepaw into the apprentice's den, where she slipped past the huddled shapes of Foxpaw and Eaglepaw.

"Where's Firepaw?" Heatherpaw asked as they arrived at their nests, looking around.

"Over there, _far _away from us." Rosepaw muttered, flicking her tail at the small curled up form of a fiery red tom in the farthest corner of the den.

"Thank StarClan." Heatherpaw sighed and curled up, her tail brushing over her nose.

Rosepaw did the same.

"So…how about telling me that secret, Rosepaw?" Heatherpaw asked, her voice soft.

"Tomorrow."

Heatherpaw grumbled angrily. She was looking forward to hearing what her friend had to share.

Soon, the white-cat's gentle breaths echoed in Heatherpaw's ears and the apprentice closed her eyes, hoping to catch up on much needed sleep.

Suddenly, she felt that cold breeze once again. She grumbled angrily, opened her eyes, and gasped.

"_Swiftpaw_?"

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**Hmm, another cliffie! It might be a while before I update this again, so keep waiting! What did you think of Rosepaw and the others? Please review!**

**-Evanessence**


	4. Chapter 3

**Owlreader- I know, they kinda**_** do**_** sound like humans, but that's my style of writing. I tried to use less of the giggling and such for this chapter. Thanks for reviewing, though!**

**Evershine- Okay, I'm going to do this in order.**

**-It was not a dream. It was real.**

**-Portland, Oregon. It's not that cold here anymore, so it's good!**

**-Yeah, I know. She's cool!**

**-Does Foxpaw remind you of anyone? (Dawntail?)**

**-OMG she…what? XD**

**Jarrtail- Thanks!**

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Chapter 3

How could the tom have slipped into the den so quietly and unnoticed by Redfeather?

"Swiftp-"

"Shh!" Swiftpaw hissed at her. "You don't want to look like an idiot talking to yourself again."

Heatherpaw sat up. "Huh?"

"C'mon, I have to talk to you!"

Heatherpaw shook her head and looked down at Rosepaw, who, thankfully, was still fast asleep.

"I'm not going with you! I barely even_ know_ you!"

"I'll explain later! Just hurry!" He was about to leave the den, but Heatherpaw let out a hiss.

"Wait!"

Swiftpaw looked back at her and shook his head vigorously. "There's no time! I have so many things to say! Nobody knows I'm here!"

Heatherpaw's eyes grew wide. "Are you from another Clan? You're trespassing on ThunderClan territory! I'll yell an alarm-"

"No! Just follow me! Please!" Without another word, Swiftpaw was out of sight.

Heatherpaw let out a hiss of frustration. She was about to curl back up and try to go back to sleep, but something tugged at her pelt. What if this Swiftpaw had something important to show her and she's letting it go just out of pure laziness. She would be so ashamed of herself!

_But the curfew!_ She thought in despair. _Redfeather would never let me go!_

Swiftpaw's head suddenly reappeared, amber eyes flashing angrily. "What are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Heatherpaw growled. _This tom is annoyingly impatient!_ She thought angrily.

"But there's a guard outside!" She whined.

Swiftpaw grimaced. "Apprentices these days! Argh! Back when I was around, cats could slip by without even a hair on their pelt seen."

"What do you mean 'back when you were around'?"

"I'll tell you when we're alone! I'm sure you could charm the guard into letting you go! I'm not waiting for you!" He slipped away again, much to her disappointment.

"Charm?" Heatherpaw looked outside the den, where she could see the muscular frame of Redfeather at the entrance.

"Oh boy." She muttered under breath and gathered her courage. This was not going to be easy.

She softly padded outside, the moonlight illuminating her pelt.

Redfeather abruptly turned his head her direction and he narrowed his eyes when he saw her.

_Uh-oh…_Heatherpaw thought in despair.

"Heatherpaw?" He asked.

She walked over to him, her head low. She cannot stand looking into his eyes. It would make her paws sway and she would turn uncomfortable, like always.

"What are you doing?"

"Uh…I'm just…" Heatherpaw gritted her teeth. What was she going to say? "Uh…I need to go make dirt."

_Great, Heatherpaw!_ She scolded herself. _The perfect explanation! Now Redfeather will taunt you for that the rest of your life! So much for 'charming' the guard!_

"Go ahead." Redfeather yawned. "I don't know why Nightstar makes these stupid rules anyways."

Heatherpaw blinked in surprise. He believed her! _I can't believe he bought it_! She thought.

"Why are you standing there? Go, before anyone sees you!" Redfeather whispered to her.

Heatherpaw smiled. "Thanks, Redfeather." She had a nagging thought in her mind. "Did you…by any chance, see a black and white tom pass by?"

Redfeather narrowed his eyes. "Heatherpaw, everyone's asleep, you know that. Only you and I are awake."

Heatherpaw's mind whirled. _That means Swiftpaw was never here! _She thought. _But I _saw _him…am I dreaming?_

She then suddenly saw the black and white face of the tom in the bushes. "C'mon!" He hissed. Then he disappeared once again.

Redfeather seemed not to have heard him. He just kept staring at Heatherpaw, making her shift uncomfortably.

"Thanks again, Redfeather!" She called over her shoulder at the russet-red tom before disappearing into the darkness.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"Where are you?" Heatherpaw hissed as soon as she left the entrance of the camp well behind.

"Over here!"

She flipped her head towards the direction of the voice. "Swiftpaw?"

The black-and-white tom stepped out of the bushes, barely making a sound. "Shh!" He hissed.

Heatherpaw gritted her teeth. "How did you manage to slip by Redfeather?" She asked him.

"It was easy. He just didn't see me."

The ThunderClan apprentice shook her head. "Obviously. But how?"

Swiftpaw smirked. "I'm not going to tell you. It's my secret."

Heatherpaw grimaced. "What are you doing here?"

The tom smiled. "Well, to see you."

"But_ why_? I don't even know you!"

Swiftpaw flicked his tail. "You will get to know me pretty soon, Heatherpaw."

The she-cat's neck fur started to bristle. This cat was annoying her! She let out a frustrated hiss. "At least tell me what Clan you're from! You don't look like a RiverClan cat or a WindClan cat. Are you from ShadowClan?"

Swiftpaw crinkled his nose in disgust. "No way! I'm not with those stinky rats!"

"Then where are you from? Are you banished? Did you run away from your Clan?"

"Whoa, slow down! Why would you think I'm banished?"

Heatherpaw was confused. "Well, you have 'paw' in your name, so I just assumed…"

Swiftpaw sighed. "Assumption is such a horrible thing, Heatherpaw. Jumping to conclusions…even worse."

"What are you talking about?"

"You see, Heatherpaw, the reason Redfeather couldn't see me and why I really can't tell you about me is because…I'm dead."

Heatherpaw's jaw dropped. "W-what?"

"I was a ThunderClan apprentice once, just like you, even before your grandparents were born."

Heatherpaw was speechless._ Swiftpaw's…_dead? She thought.

Swiftpaw looked concerned. "You seem bewildered, Heatherpaw. Dying is a pretty normal thing, you know-"

"But _dead_ cats coming back to haunt _living _cats sure isn't normal!" Heatherpaw screeched.

"Shh!" Swiftpaw hissed. "You'll wake up every cat from here to ShadowClan!"

Heatherpaw just lashed her tail. "You're not dead." She mewed icily, narrowing her eyes.

Swiftpaw rolled his eyes. "You need me to prove it to you? Alright, I will." He looked around at the ground under Heatherpaw. "Grab that twig by your right paw."

Heatherpaw looked down, seeing the twig. "This one?"

"Yeah. Pick it up."

Heatherpaw bent down and grabbed it between her teeth.

"Throw it at me."

The she-cat raised a brow. "But I'm going to hit you." She mewed through the bark of the twig.

"Don't worry, it won't. Trust me." He bowed his head.

Heatherpaw shrugged, tilted her head back, and hurled the twig at the tom. It was harder than she first intended to and she realized it too late.

"Watch out!" She cried.

She expected him to dodge, but instead, the twig just passed harmlessly through his chest as if he were made of air.

Heatherpaw jumped back in surprise, her eyes wide open with fear. She stared at the twig behind Swiftpaw, almost mocking her, as if Heatherpaw never threw it at all.

"Do I need to show you again?" He asked, looking up at her.

"Y-you…you…" Heatherpaw stammered, the words fumbling out of her mouth awkwardly in her disbelief.

"…are dead." Swiftpaw finished for her. "Yes, I've known that for quite a while now."

"You're a…a StarClan cat?"

Swiftpaw frowned. "Hm. I was afraid of that question. Uh…sadly, no."

Heatherpaw blinked in bewilderment. "But…you're dead, so…"

"It's a long story. Your Redfeather will start to worry about you if I start telling it."

Heatherpaw shook her head. _I'm not talking to a dead cat. I'm dreaming, that's it. In a few seconds, a flying mouse would come and beg me to eat it, like always. Yeah. C'mon, Heatherpaw, you can wake up now!_

She suddenly bit her front paw as hard as she could. _Ow! That hurt, so that means I'm awake!_

"Heatherpaw? Are you okay?"

That snapped her back to attention. She was still here. The tom was still in front of her, who happened to be dead. This was still reality.

"I-"

Swiftpaw shook his head. "Go, Heatherpaw. If the guard has any descendants from when_ I _was alive, he will start to get suspicious if a cat who only had to make dirt was gone for this long."

Heatherpaw blinked. _I still can't believe this cat's dead…he seems so real…_

"Well, see you." Swiftpaw dipped his head and vanished. He literally _vanished_ into thin air.

That's when Heatherpaw fainted.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

She woke up in the medicine cat's den the next morning.

"Oh, Heatherpaw! You're awake!"

Her sleepy heather-colored eyes focused on the cat in front of her. It was a dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes.

"Redfeather found you last night. He was worried sick about you."

"Redfeather?" It was all slowly coming back to her. She snuck out late the previous night…then there was Swiftpaw…

At that thought, Heatherpaw groaned.

"What's wrong?" The medicine cat asked. "Is something hurting or bothering you?"

Heatherpaw sat up. "I'm f-fine, Cloverleaf. Just a bit woozy, that's all."

"What happened last night? Would you mind telling me why Redfeather found you passed out in the middle of the forest?"

Heatherpaw felt her ears go hot. Can she tell the medicine cat about Swiftpaw? She decided not to. "I…I passed out?"

Cloverleaf frowned. "Yes, Heatherpaw. Nightstar didn't put the curfew in effect for no reason."

"I was just making dirt." Heatherpaw decided to go along with her little fake story.

"And you fainted while doing so? Do you need me to check if your bowel movements are alright?"

Heatherpaw's lip curled in disgust. "No!"

Cloverleaf flicked her tail. Her green eyes glinted with some unknown understanding. "Whatever you were doing, Heatherpaw, pray to StarClan that you don't get caught again."

Heatherpaw cocked her head. "Huh?"

"Nightstar's curfew is ridiculous. She and Badgerfrost came up with it in order to stop 'cross-Clan' relationships. What a mouse-brained idea."

Heatherpaw smirked.

"I thought after my great grandmother, Leafpool's mistake, ThunderClan would learn to keep their affections _within_ the border."

"What's going on, though?"

Cloverleaf sighed. "There's a rumor going around about a curious RiverClan cat poking around our territory."

Heatherpaw gasped dramatically. "Oh no! Nightstar's perfect ThunderClan is ruined!"

The medicine cat chuckled and then abruptly turned serious. "I hope this has nothing to do with our 'event' last night, did it?"

Heatherpaw shook her head vigorously. "I swear to StarClan it was not, Cloverleaf."

Cloverleaf let out a purr. "Good. I trust you to be honest."

Heatherpaw suddenly thought of Swiftpaw and her stomach did a double back flip.

Cloverleaf went back to her herbs with a sigh and started to sort them. That's what medicine cats do apparently when they have nothing else to do. They just sort their herbs.

"Cloverleaf?" Heatherpaw asked.

"Hm?"

"Is it possible for a cat to die and not go to StarClan?"

Cloverleaf's eyes fluttered as soon as she finished saying 'StarClan'. "W-why would you ask something like that, Heatherpaw?"

The apprentice noticed the medicine cat's hesitation and she shrugged. "Just curious."

"Have you ever heard of Tigerstar and Hawkfrost?"

"Of course, Cloverleaf. There were evil. Who could ever forget them?"

Cloverleaf nodded. "Well, they aren't in StarClan. StarClan…rejected them and put them in a world called the Place of No Stars."

Heatherpaw frowned. _Could Swiftpaw belong in the Place of No Stars? With the evil Tigerstar and Hawkfrost?_ She thought. _No, he doesn't _seem_ to be the type of cat to be evil…_

"Only cats that murder and do diabolic things, such as what Tigerstar did when he was alive, go to the Place of No Stars. Not much is known about that place really. But my best advice is to stay away from there at all costs."

Heatherpaw nodded. "Thank you, Cloverleaf."

The dark brown tabby she-cat looked concerned, much to Heatherpaw's surprise. "I wish you would tell me about your sudden interest in StarClan."

"They're our ancestors, Cloverleaf. I want to learn about them!"

"Alright." Her tone of voice didn't seem so sure, though. "You're lucky Nightstar still doesn't know about your little late-night fainting spell. She would have you cleaning the elders' bedding for moons!"

Heatherpaw let out a sigh of relief. "Thank StarClan."

"Now go." Cloverleaf's voice was taut, but not angry. "Before Nightstar and Badgerfrost catch you."

"'Bye, Cloverleaf!" The apprentice bowed her head respectfully and left.

The medicine cat stared after her, her green eyes clouded with suspicion.

* * *

**R&R, por favor!**

**-Evanessence**


	5. Chapter 4

**15 things, Evershine? Wow! Here's chapter 4!**

* * *

Chapter 4

"Well if it isn't sleeping beauty!"

Heatherpaw was eating a particularly pudgy sparrow out of the fresh-kill pile when Foxpaw spotted her.

"Slept a little late today, huh?"

"Go away." The light brown tabby apprentice growled and took another bite of flesh.

"I'm not going _anywhere_."

Heatherpaw groaned inwardly. Why couldn't she just leave?

"Something big happened last night?" Foxpaw asked slyly, her teeth bared in what seemed like a smile.

Heatherpaw froze. Did Foxpaw know what happened? _That Redfeather!_ She thought angrily.

"Answer me, Heatherpaw. I know something's going on."

"She doesn't have to answer to you!" Rosepaw had come to her friend's aid, her tail lashing angrily.

"Oh, you are infuriating me, Rose-whatever!"

"It's Rose_paw. _Just like the last part of your name, Fox_paw_." Rosepaw snarled, her fur bristling.

Foxpaw hissed and she unsheathed her claws. "Bad mistake, kit."

"Oh yeah? Bring it." The white she-cat growled, her claws also unsheathing.

"Don't!" Heatherpaw quickly stepped in between the she-cats before they can tear each other apart. "Rosepaw, let's go. She's not worth it."

Rosepaw pushed her away. "She deserves a lesson!"

Foxpaw sneered, but before she could say anything, a cat stepped in between them, a snarl on his face.

"Don't you all have anything better to do than fight?" He asked them. "I'm tired of all of your constant bickering."

"Who are you to say that, Eagle_paw_?" Foxpaw snarled. "Last time I checked you were still an apprentice."

Eaglepaw's amber eyes remained icy calm. "I may not have any authority, but at least I have the common sense to think that a fight within our camp may not be the best thing."

"You show her, Eaglepaw!" Rosepaw mewed excitedly, seeing Foxpaw frown.

The tom turned to her. "You too, Rosepaw. I saw you."

The white she-cat sighed. "Yes, I wanted to fight too. But she deserved it."

"She too! She needs to respect her elders!" Foxpaw hissed.

Eaglepaw rolled his eyes. "Please, calm down!"

"Oh, that's right!" Rosepaw shot back at Foxpaw. "I need to respect my_ elders._"

Foxpaw hissed. "I didn't mean_ those_ elders, you little-"

"Enough!" Eaglepaw yowled, causing every head in the camp to turn to him. "Please."

Foxpaw threw her head back in scorn. "I shouldn't waste my time here anyways. I have better things to do." She left them, her tail high in the air.

"That piece of fox-dung." Rosepaw growled under her breath.

"Yes." Eaglepaw agreed.

Heatherpaw turned to him in surprise. "What happened to Eaglepaw: The Peace Maker?"

The tom shrugged. "I can't help it. Everyone hates her."

"Not Firepaw." Rosepaw trilled. "He _worships_ her."

Heatherpaw let out an amused purr. Everyone knows the little fiery red tom has a crush on the she-cat, everyone_ except_ the she-cat herself.

"Speaking of him, where is he?" Rosepaw asked.

Eaglepaw answered, "He's out training with his mentor, Icefang."

"Ouch. For once, I actually feel _bad_ for the mouse-brain." Rosepaw murmured sympathetically.

Heatherpaw nodded her agreement. Icefang was notorious for her sharp tongue and quick temper. She was one of Nightstar's senior warriors, due to retire into the elder's den soon.

"I wish the old rat would just _die _already. She's the biggest pain for us apprentices." Eaglepaw growled.

"Isn't that a bit too harsh for you, Eaglepaw?" Heatherpaw asked him.

"No. She just won't _die_."

Rosepaw flicked her tail on his shoulder and gave an elaborate sniff. "You're growing up, Eaglepaw. I'm so proud of you."

Eaglepaw rolled his eyes. "I'm not nice _all_ the time!"

Heatherpaw looked at him, her eyes narrowed. "Right, Eaglepaw. You make me laugh." She laughed just for the effect.

Eaglepaw smirked and nudged her shoulder. "Is there a time where you can't make a sarcastic comment, Heatherpaw?"

"No." She answered shortly. "It's my nature to be witty."

"But witty can quickly turn into annoying."

Heatherpaw frowned. "Are you saying that I'm annoying?"

"Hey!" Rosepaw warned them. "What did we just say about fighting?"

Eaglepaw smirked at Heatherpaw. "You look so cute when you're angry."

Heatherpaw scoffed in disgust. "Who's the annoying one now? You're constantly trying to flatter me, Eaglepaw. I'm not appreciating it."'

Eaglepaw sighed. "It's such a shame that a pretty cat like you is untouchable. You're like a bush with thorns!"

Heatherpaw looked at Rosepaw. "Ew!" She gagged. Rosepaw nodded, equally as disgusted.

"I'm just kidding." Eaglepaw mewed.

"Right." Rosepaw growled. "Let's go, Heatherpaw. He's creeping me out."

Heatherpaw blinked at the tom. "Did you catch the mysterious disease Firepaw has? The one that makes everyone around him gag in just how sick and wrong he is?"

"No!" Eaglepaw shook his head.

"I think he has the first symptoms!" Rosepaw mewed, a panicky tone climbing into her voice.

"Oh, no!" Heatherpaw cried dramatically.

Eaglepaw's amber eyes suddenly lit up with some sort of thought. "I know someone else who has the 'disease' too. Right, Heatherpaw?" He turned to the she-cat.

"You do?" Rosepaw asked her friend, her eyes blinking in surprise.

Heatherpaw shook her head. "No!"

"Oh, yes, Heatherpaw. Don't deny it."

"What did I do that made you think that?" Heatherpaw asked him.

"Well, I remember yesterday. You were talking to yourself."

Heatherpaw closed her eyes. _Of course! He saw me talking with Swiftpaw, and because he's dead, Eaglepaw couldn't see him! So, in his eyes, I was basically talking to myself._ She thought, wanting to hit herself.

"You talk to yourself?" Rosepaw asked her in disbelief.

"Just a little bit. When I'm bored." She growled. _I'll have to remind myself later to kill Eaglepaw. _

"A little bit?" Eaglepaw shook his head. "She was having a whole conversation!"

Rosepaw blinked, then smiled. "That's okay, I guess."

Eaglepaw gaped. "W-what? That doesn't creep you out? Make you think she has the 'disease'?"

Heatherpaw stared at the white she-cat, curious to hear what she has to say.

"Not at all. She's my best friend. If she talks to herself, that's okay. Everyone has their own little quirks!"

"B-but-" Eaglepaw stammered.

Heatherpaw gave a loud purr and licked her friend's cheek. "Aw, Rosepaw! That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me!"

Rosepaw shrugged, but she was blushing bright pink underneath her snow-white pelt, Heatherpaw could see it as clear as day. "I-I sometimes chase butterflies when I have nothing better to do."

Eaglepaw blinked.

Heatherpaw laughed. "Like a little kit!"

"Hey!" Rosepaw growled, flattening her ears.

"You said I had the 'disease' just because I like you?" Eaglepaw hissed at Heatherpaw, his amber eyes blazing.

Heatherpaw scoffed. "Please, Eaglepaw. We're just apprentices. Give it a rest."

Eaglepaw sighed, crestfallen. "Fine." He trudged off, his tail dragging on the ground.

"Hah, we showed him!" Heatherpaw whooped, once the dark brown tabby tom was out of sight.

Rosepaw, however, didn't share her joy. "He seemed really sad, Heatherpaw."

"Doesn't matter, Rosepaw! He's finally off my tail!" The light brown tabby she-cat mewed.

"Whatever, Heatherpaw." Her friend answered, her voice small. "I just think you owe him an apology. He looked…awful."

Heatherpaw shook her head. "Rosepaw, I really don't a need a tom padding after me. I've got one already." Again she wanted to take back those words.

"What?" Rosepaw asked. "Who?"

Heatherpaw growled to herself. Should she tell her about Swiftpaw? Something told her to keep quiet.

"You don't know him."

Rosepaw gasped. "Is he from another Clan?"

"Shh!" Heatherpaw hissed. She didn't need Rosepaw announcing it to the whole Clan.

"He is!" Her friend squealed.

Heatherpaw shook her head and took a nervous glance around the camp. Everyone seemed to have ignored Rosepaw's squeal. "No he is not! Like I said, you don't know him!"

"Oh, is he a loner?"

"You could say that." Heatherpaw admitted.

"Oh, wow." Rosepaw breathed.

"Let's stop talking about this, alright?"

Rosepaw pouted. "But I thought you told me you would tell me everything. We're best friends, remember?"

"Yes, I know. But this particular secret stays with me."

Rosepaw frowned, obviously disappointed.

Heatherpaw suddenly got an idea. "Remember that secret you were going to tell me yesterday?"

Rosepaw nodded. "Well, now I'm not so sure if I'm going to tell you, Heatherpaw." She growled.

"I have a deal. Your secret, for my secret."

"Alright!" Rosepaw cried excitedly.

"But you have to be quieter, or else _everyone_ will know!" Heatherpaw hissed.

Rosepaw nodded obediently.

"You go first, Rosepaw." Heatherpaw mewed. _I need time to think about what to say to her about Swiftpaw._ She thought.

"Okay!" The white-cat leaned forward to whisper it in Heatherpaw's ear, but a yowl echoed throughout the clearing, interrupting her once again.

"It's Nightstar." Heatherpaw grumbled, frustrated.

"Sorry. After the meeting, okay?" Rosepaw's eyes were glowing, as if her secret was so secret Heatherpaw would have to guard it with her life.

The light brown tabby apprentice nodded and turned to the HighLedge, where Nightstar was standing and a white tom with black paws sitting next to her. It was Badgerfrost, the ThunderClan deputy.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here underneath the HighLedge for a clan meeting!" Nightstar yowled.

"And make it quick!" Badgerfrost called after the leader.

* * *

**There's that ol' cliffhanger again! Please R&R!**

**-Evanessence**


	6. Chapter 5

**Thanks to everyone for reviewing…makes me so proud! –wipes tear from eye- Before I start bawling and writing a corny thank-you speech, here's chapter 5!**

* * *

Chapter 5

"What's the hurry?" A warrior called out from the crowd below the HighLedge.

Heatherpaw turned her head to the speaker. It was a small, plump brown tom.

"Oh, great." Rosepaw mumbled from beside Heatherpaw. "Owlflight got up from his nest! We should all run for cover!"

Heatherpaw laughed. Owlflight is the laziest cat in the Clan and is also, unfortunately, Rosepaw's mentor.

"We have important news, Owlflight." Nightstar told him, flicking her tail as she waited for the cats to finish gathering.

"This ought to be interesting." Rosepaw muttered. "Important news for Nightstar is whether or not she caught a mouse yesterday."

Heatherpaw chuckled.

"Where's Icefang and Firepaw?" Nightstar asked.

"They're out training, Nightstar." Badgerfrost replied, impatient.

"Oh really?"

"Yes, Nightstar. They are mentor and apprentice, remember?"

"Oh yes. I remember now." The leader then yowled for attention and the cats became quiet.

"We have disturbing news for ThunderClan today. RiverClan has been caught around our territory once again." Nightstar mewed.

Several cats hissed and others yowled angrily.

Heatherpaw felt Rosepaw's pelt bristle for a second. "Again?" She asked, her voice a bit higher than usual. "I think RiverClan's losing their taste in fish and testing ThunderClan's squirrels."

"I can't blame them." Heatherpaw whispered. "Fish is the nastiest thing I've ever tasted."

"Me too. I don't know how those water-lovers can stand it!" She laughed, but it sounded like it was forced to Heatherpaw's ears.

Nightstar was trying for their attention again. "Calm down, everyone. Calm down." The cats were still talking amongst themselves.

Badgerfrost looked at his leader strangely. "Calm down?" He rolled his eyes. "Great StarClan."

Eventually the cats' murmurs died down.

Nightstar cleared her throat. "The gathering is tonight, so we will talk about this further with Ravenstar."

Heatherpaw smirked. Ravenstar was Nightstar's twin sister, exiled out of ThunderClan when they were warriors and joined RiverClan. She is the complete opposite of Nightstar. She is actually a _good _leader, but she is very ambitious and outspoken. The two cats get along like fire and water.

"Who will go?" Redfeather asked, his clear, deep voice ringing above the others.

Nightstar blinked in confusion. "Well…"

Badgerfrost sighed and took a step forward. "Raggedstorm, Redfeather, Maplefur, Heatherpaw and Firepaw will go to the gathering tonight." He mewed.

Nightstar looked at him. "Thank you, Badgerfrost. I knew that. Meeting dismissed."

Heatherpaw smiled at herself. She was going to the gathering! She then noticed Rosepaw looking sorrowfully at the ground underneath her white paws.

"Oh, Rosepaw. I'm sorry." She told her.

The white she-cat shrugged, the cats swerving around her to go back to the dens. "Aw, that's okay. There's always the next one."

Heatherpaw frowned. That was what she said_ last_ gathering. "But you never even _went _to one. You should go."

"It's fine, Heatherpaw."

"I already went to one. If I could, I would switch places with you."

"I know you would do that for me, but it just can't be done."

Heatherpaw gritted her teeth angrily. "It's not fair that they always forget about you."

"They don't forget about me, they just…pick the best apprentices to go, that's all."

Heatherpaw shook her head. "That's not true! You're a _great _apprentice, Rosepaw!"

Rosepaw smirked. "Try having Owlflight for a mentor. He won't even get up to get fresh-kill, the lazy fat cat that he is."

Heatherpaw licked her reassuringly. "It's probably because I'm the leader's apprentice and she wants to show me off to all the other leaders just to show how 'perfect' she is."

Rosepaw shrugged. "Maybe." She then smirked. "There _is _one thing I won't be missing, though."

"What?"

"You have to go with Firepaw. Hah!"

Heatherpaw's heart sank. "Oh, no!"

"I'll tell you my secret when you come back, okay?"

Heatherpaw opened her mouth to answer, but she heard her name being called.

"It's your perfect mentor, Heatherpaw, calling for her perfect apprentice. Good luck! See ya!" Rosepaw waved her tail and disappeared into the apprentice's den.

Heatherpaw mumbled a goodbye and trudged to the black-pelted she-cat.

Nightstar was waiting for her patiently as she sat, her tail wrapped neatly around her paws. "Heatherpaw? What took you so long?"

"I was talking to Rosepaw." She replied.

Nightstar sniffed and looked behind the light brown tabby's shoulder, as if Rosepaw was eavesdropping on their conversation. "I don't like that she-cat."

"Why?" Heatherpaw asked, her pelt starting to bristle. No one will insult her friend if she can help it! Not even Nightstar!

"She has an 'attitude'. If I were you, I would stay away from her."

"You're not my mother, Nightstar!"

Nightstar bared her teeth angrily. "But I am your _leader_! See? You are turning into her. Stop talking to her or else…"

"Or else I'll ruin my 'perfect apprentice' image?" Heatherpaw hissed.

Nightstar lashed her tail. "_Heatherpaw!_"

"Why are you ignoring Rosepaw? She's a good apprentice! She should go to the gathering, instead of me! I already went!"

"No. The decision's already set. You are going to the gathering."

Heatherpaw gritted her teeth. She was not going to plead and beg with the leader like a little kit.

"Besides, do you know who her _mother _was?"

Heatherpaw felt as if a dagger pierced her heart. Rosepaw was always blamed for the deeds her evil mother has done. Her mother was the former ThunderClan deputy and she had tried to kill Nightstar, finally earning herself banishment from the Clans. Personally, Heatherpaw would've been happier if Rosepaw's mother succeeded in her attempt to murder Nightstar.

"It's not Rosepaw's fault what her mother did!"

"But her blood runs through her veins! You don't know what that she-cat tried to do to me!" Nightstar argued.

"But it was not _Rosepaw_ who did it! It was her stupid _mother_!"

Nightstar hissed. "I'm not going to argue with you, Heatherpaw! That she-cat's father is loyal enough, so I'll consider her."

Heatherpaw sent out a silent prayer of thanks to StarClan for Badgerfrost, who happened to be Rosepaw's father and much better suited for the leader position than Nightstar.

Heatherpaw then considered it. _But it's really odd that he _also_ forgets about his daughter when he picks out the cats to go to the gathering. It's almost as if he's ashamed to have a daughter who has a mother like that. Oh, how pathetic._

"Onto other matters, I wasn't going to sit and chat with you all day. I _was_ going to train you today, but due to this RiverClan business, we can't."

_Yes!_ Heatherpaw thought excitedly.

"But I do expect you to work on that _awful _crouch."

"Awful crouch? But, Nightstar, Swiftpaw said-" _Me and my big mouth!_ She thought angrily.

"Swiftpaw? Who's he?"

"Uh…no-one." Heatherpaw hissed through her teeth._ Idiot. Moron. Mouse-brain. Fox-dung._

"Hm…Swiftpaw…Swiftpaw…" Nightstar flicked her tail thoughtfully. "Funny. I've never heard of a_ Swiftpaw_."

"I was dreaming, Nightstar." Heatherpaw mewed, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

"Dreaming?"

"Yes, I was _dreaming _that a cat named Swiftpaw said that I had an excellent crouch."

"Hm. Well, keep dreaming, Heatherpaw." With that, the leader left her alone in the middle of the camp.

Heatherpaw chuckled. _Nightstar is so stupid! She's the worst leader ever!_

"I've heard of a Swiftpaw!" A high voice squeaked from behind Heatherpaw.

_Oh, look who's back… _Heatherpaw thought in despair.

"Heatherpaw, I've heard of a Swiftpaw! He was an apprentice when I was a warrior!"

_Great StarClan!_ Heatherpaw turned around to face a fiery red tom with green eyes. Firepaw.

"He was killed, though. By a bunch of dogs. I remember."

Heatherpaw flicked her ears. "Please, Firepaw. Get out of my sight…now."

"But I thought you wanted to know about Swiftpaw-"

Heatherpaw rolled her eyes. Firepaw thinks he is a reincarnation of the great Firestar just because they both share the same name. What was Nightstar thinking when she named him? _That's right_, she thought, _she _can't_ think._

"Leave. Now." She spat.

Firepaw shrugged, but didn't leave, much to her immediate frustration. His green eyes then lit up. "Did you hear, Heatherpaw? We're gathering buddies! This is going to be my first gathering since I was Firestar! I'm so excited! Are _you _excited, Heatherpaw?"

Heatherpaw narrowed her eyes. _I'm absolutely _exploding_ with excitement. Not._

"Well, I'll see ya soon!" The small tom left her.

Heatherpaw softly exhaled. She hated that quirky tom of an apprentice. She also hated his boundless energy, and especially his obsession in believing he's Firestar.

"Heatherpaw!" It was her mother. She was coming towards her, her swollen belly dragging on the ground.

Heatherpaw ran up to her and briskly touched her nose to hers in greeting. "What are you doing out of the Nursery?"

Smokefeather shrugged. "I needed exercise. I've been cooped up in there for too long. A little walk would do me some good."

"Cloverleaf won't like it."

"She can't tell me what to say or do! I'm a full grown cat, and I should do what I want to do."

Heatherpaw smirked. It was evident where she got her attitude. Her mother was notorious for her sarcastic comments, just like her daughter.

"But she's the medicine cat." Heatherpaw argued.

"It's just for a pad around camp. I'm not going anywhere."

"You are so far along in your pregnancy, though. You could hurt yourself."

Smokefeather scoffed. "Now you're sounding just like Cloverleaf, Heatherpaw. Relax, why don't you?"

"Hm. I find that hard nowadays." Heatherpaw murmured.

Smokefeather licked her daughter's ears reassuringly. "I heard you were going to the gathering! Congratulations."

"Ugh. I don't really want to go." Heatherpaw growled.

Smokefeather looked surprised. "Why not? It's usually an honor to go to the gathering!"

Heatherpaw sighed. "But it's just a bunch of cats bragging about their Clan. I really don't want to listen to that. Besides, Rosepaw isn't going again."

"Oh." Smokefeather knew that the she-cat was her best friend. "Poor Rosepaw."

Heatherpaw sighed heavily.

"Go rest, Heatherpaw. You have a big night ahead of you."

Heatherpaw purred. Her mother was looking out for her almost as if she were still a kit. "I will." She mewed and added, "Be careful, though."

"I will. You know I can take care of myself."

"Like mother, like daughter." Heatherpaw chuckled.

"That's right." Smokefeather nodded and licked her in goodbye. She then left her alone once again.

Heatherpaw yawned and padded into the apprentice's den. It was empty, except for Firepaw. The tom was fast asleep, much to Heatherpaw's relief. She padded to her nest and curled up, sleep taking over her world before she could even say 'mouse'.

* * *

**-takes hanky and blows nose- P-please review, e-everyone! **

**-Evanessence**


	7. Chapter 6

**Here's chapter 6 for all of you and as you wanted, Swiftpaw's in it too!**

* * *

Chapter 6

"Tell me everything that happens, okay?"

"I will."

Rosepaw touched her nose to Heatherpaw's. "Say hi to Lostpaw for me if you see him."

"Who?"

"He's a RiverClan apprentice. He told me he will be at the gathering."

"Wait, he_ told_ you?" Heatherpaw was confused. "But you never went to a gathering."

"That's my secret, Heatherpaw." Rosepaw whispered to her. "I…I think I like him."

"A RiverClan tom?"

"Yeah." Rosepaw sighed dreamily.

"So_ he's_ the one who's been sneaking around our territory? Great StarClan!" Heatherpaw gasped.

"Shh!" Rosepaw hissed. "Why don't you tell the whole Clan?"

"And you've been seeing him too? Rosepaw, do you know how forbidden this is?"

Rosepaw sighed and nodded. "I know. But…but Lostpaw told me he likes me too. Can you believe it?"

"Nightstar will have your head if she finds out! How do you find the time to see him?"

"Owlflight's my mentor, remember? I barely train with him, so to make up for it, I go and see Lostpaw."

Heatherpaw shook her head. "Rosepaw, I don't know about this."

"Aw, c'mon. You have your own secret too, remember! I want to hear it when you get back from the gathering, alright?" Rosepaw asked her.

"But my secret isn't like this!" Heatherpaw argued. _At least Swiftpaw was once a _ThunderClan _apprentice!_

Rosepaw seemed to have ignored her. "See you soon!" She waved her tail in goodbye and disappeared into the camp.

Heatherpaw gulped uncertainly. She was afraid Rosepaw's friendship with the RiverClan apprentice will end up in tragedy, just as a long gone ThunderClan warrior, Graystripe, did with a RiverClan queen.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Night was settling into the camp and the full moon shone clearly throughout the sky. Nightstar padded up to Heatherpaw. "Are you ready?" She asked her.

Heatherpaw mumbled something that might have been a 'yes', but Nightstar didn't seem to have cared if she replied or not. She turned to a light brown tabby she-cat who appeared next to her.

"Maplefur! I'm glad you can come!"

"Do I have any other choice?" The she-cat replied.

Heatherpaw's father padded up next to his daughter. "Another gathering, another argument." He growled. "I am _not_ looking forward to this."

Heatherpaw stared at him and looked down at her paws. She didn't care what Raggedstorm thought about gatherings. Her shoulders weighed heavily with the information her friend shared with her. _I can't let Rosepaw cause her own banishment!_ She thought. _But, she's my friend…and she's been sad for so long…_

Nightstar let out a yowl. "Is everyone here?"

"Wait!" A high, easily recognizable voice called.

"Firepaw! Move your tail and get over here!" Redfeather hissed to the apprentice as he crashed through the small group of cats.

"I-I'm here! I just had to say goodbye!"

"To everyone in the whole Clan?" Heatherpaw growled.

Firepaw flattened his ears.

"Let's just go. The rest of the Clans are going to get there before us." Badgerfrost muttered.

"Oh!" Nightstar hissed. "I can't let that happen! Ravenstar always gets the best spot in the Great Tree! Now it's my turn!" She darted out of the camp entrance without warning.

Badgerfrost let out a heavy sigh and flicked his tail, signaling for the rest of the cats to follow her.

They ran down the ravine towards the island where the four Clans hold their gatherings every full-moon. They crossed the slippery tree-bridge, felled so long ago by a lightning strike, causing the death of an infamous WindClan warrior, Mudclaw.

Heatherpaw crossed the bridge with ease, already used to the feel of the bark under her. For a moment, she felt another pelt brush against hers and Firepaw darted forward, almost knocking her over.

"Hey!" She screeched, digging her claws into the bark and raising her tail to keep balance.

Firepaw ignored her and jumped off the rooted end of the tree, his flame-colored pelt disappearing into the ferns that surrounded the island.

"Argh!" Heatherpaw hissed in anger.

"Keep going, Heatherpaw!" Redfeather told her a few tail-lengths behind her. "You're holding everyone up."

"I'm sorry!" Heatherpaw mewed and jumped down to solid ground once again.

Redfeather landed next to her and shook his pelt. "Did Firepaw already go in there?"

Heatherpaw nodded, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, well." The young warrior sighed.

Heatherpaw suddenly felt like she needed to thank him. "Redfeather, thank you for, you know…yesterday." She whispered.

Redfeather turned to her and blinked. He didn't reply and just walked up to Maplefur who just jumped down from the tree.

_Is he angry with me?_ Heatherpaw thought. _He should be. I lied to him. Good job, Heatherpaw. Now he may never talk to you again!_ She scolded herself.

Suddenly, Heatherpaw caught sight of a black and white tom jumping off of the tree-bridge.

"Swiftpaw?" She asked, padding up to him.

"Hi!" He greeted her, flicking his tail.

"What are you doing here?" She hissed at him.

Swiftpaw frowned. "Well, I wanted to see what the gathering was like in this new territory. Wow, did you see how big this island is?"

"But," Heatherpaw started.

"Heatherpaw, pay attention!" Nightstar hissed. "We have to make our big entrance!"

Swiftpaw looked at Nightstar. The leader was staring at Heatherpaw, even though he was standing right in-between them.

Heatherpaw was bewildered. "I'm sorry, Nightstar."

"Big entrance?" Swiftpaw asked. "ThunderClan just runs in like any other normal Clan."

Heatherpaw didn't reply, instead focusing on Nightstar's tail, which flicked to tell them when to run into the bushes and to the gathering.

"We are wasting moonlight, Nightstar." Badgerfrost hissed, kneading his black paws impatiently against the ground.

Nightstar frowned. "This has to be perfect…_now_!" She flicked her tail and burst through the vegetation, the ThunderClan cats following after.

While Heatherpaw was running into the clearing, where the rest of the Clans were already settled, she thought she lost of Swiftpaw, but he appeared and reappeared, a smile on his face. _Can _anyone_ see him?_ She asked herself.

"Finally!" A cat hissed from the clearing. The ThunderClan cats dispersed into the crowd. Nightstar jumped on top of the Great Tree, on the lowest limb, like always. The Great Tree was a massive oak tree in the middle of the clearing, almost as if it was put there just for the Clan cats to use.

Ravenstar was at the highest limb. She was just like Nightstar in appearance; the only difference was a white tip at the end of her tail. "It looks like my sister and ThunderClan decided to show up after all!" She hissed, flicking her tail.

"I'm getting that spot next time, Ravenstar." Her twin sister hissed back, resting her body on the limb.

"It doesn't matter!" A dark brown tabby tom growled from the limb one below Ravenstar's.

"They fight like they are still kits in the Nursery!" The last leader, a gray tom, sighed from a limb above Nightstar's.

"Graystar, you have no idea what my sister is like." Nightstar hissed.

Graystar, the WindClan leader, rolled his eyes.

Heatherpaw settled herself alone, near the back, so she couldn't be seen easily. Swiftpaw padded next to her, his amber eyes glowing. "Do the leaders normally bicker like this?"

Heatherpaw nodded, wishing the dead cat would go back to just being dead. _At least he would be a lot less annoying!_ Heatherpaw thought.

"When I was alive, they did too! It's funny how everything really doesn't change." Swiftpaw sighed.

"Why are you bothering me?" Heatherpaw asked.

Swiftpaw was offended. "Why can't I just see the gathering? What's wrong with that?"

"What's wrong with it is that you're _dead_, Swiftpaw. Your time alive is already up."

Swiftpaw trembled. "You don't know _anything_ about what happened to me. I deserve to live a second time! I was gone way too soon! I wasn't even a warrior!"

Heatherpaw didn't reply. Swiftpaw was starting to annoy her. "Go and bother someone else, Swiftpaw."

"I can't." Swiftpaw replied shortly.

"Why not? There are plenty of other apprentices to choose from…how about Firepaw?" Heatherpaw pointed to the ThunderClan apprentice, who was sitting next to the medicine cats at the roots of the tree. "He deserves you."

"He has another destiny awaiting him." Swiftpaw mewed, his eyes twinkling with some unknown knowledge.

"Another destiny?" Heatherpaw asked.

Before Swiftpaw can reply, a cat padded up to her. "Heatherpaw!" She called. "Can I sit next to you?" The silver she-cat asked.

She was about to sit where Swiftpaw was sitting, but Heatherpaw let out a hiss. "Don't sit there!"

The silver apprentice was confused. "But there's no-one sitting there."

Heatherpaw blushed, realizing the ShadowClan apprentice couldn't see Swiftpaw. The tom himself rolled his eyes.

"Uh…I'm waiting for another cat, Mistpaw. You can sit at my other side."

Mistpaw cocked her head and blinked at her. "Okay." She padded around Heatherpaw and sat down next to her. "Who are you waiting for?"

Heatherpaw looked around, trying to think of a name. _Who…who…ah! I know!_

"Lostpaw."

"Oh, really?" Mistpaw blinked in surprise. "The RiverClan apprentice? "

"Yeah."

"He's sitting by himself over there." Mistpaw pointed her tail to the black tom.

_So _that's_ Lostpaw_. Heatherpaw thought, looking at the RiverClan apprentice. _I don't what Rosepaw sees in him. He seems so lonely and mysterious…_

"Lostpaw!" Mistpaw called for him. The black tom raised his head at the sound of his name.

Heatherpaw realized with a jolt that she forgot all about Swiftpaw. The tom had padded over to the base of the Great Tree, where the deputies were sitting, deep in conversation. He sat next to Hazefrost, a white tom, ShadowClan's deputy. Swiftpaw held his head high, almost as if he was a deputy himself.

"What is he doing?" Heatherpaw hissed to herself.

"He's coming over here, look!" Mistpaw mewed, pointed to Lostpaw, who was padding up to them, a confused look on his face.

"Who are you?" He asked Heatherpaw, his startling ice blue eyes piercing through her. "Why did you call me over for?"

"She wanted to sit next to you." Mistpaw answered for the ThunderClan apprentice, also a bit confused. "Heatherpaw?"

The light brown tabby she-cat was too busy staring at Swiftpaw to notice Lostpaw and Mistpaw.

"Heatherpaw!" Mistpaw growled again, nudging her.

She shook her head. "What?" She hissed, glaring at Mistpaw. Then she noticed Lostpaw, and she gave a smile. "Oh, Lostpaw."

"Why you staring at Spottedfur?" He asked, pointing to the tortoiseshell she-cat, the RiverClan deputy. Swiftpaw was making faces at her while she looked around, totally unaware of the apprentice.

"No. It's just…I thought I saw something over there."

Lostpaw let out a grunt and sat himself at Heatherpaw's other side. "Why did you call me here for?" He asked again.

Heatherpaw peeled her gaze from Swiftpaw, who was now attempting to climb the Great Tree. "Well, you looked lonely, so I thought you needed company." She told the black tom.

Lostpaw grunted again.

"Very talkative, aren't you?" Mistpaw asked him.

Lostpaw, this time, didn't even make a sound.

Heatherpaw looked at Swiftpaw once again, who was next to Snakestar, the ShadowClan leader. "Great StarClan!" She hissed under her breath.

The black and white tom looked down at the cats below him. "And now it's Swiftstar! The great ThunderClan leader!" He called.

Heatherpaw closed her eyes, afraid someone would say something about him, but they seemed not to have heard the dead apprentice.

Snakestar sniffed around. "Do you smell something odd?" He asked the other leaders. He flicked his tail, passing right through Swiftpaw's front paw.

"Maybe it's just your stink, Snakestar." Ravenstar snickered.

Snakestar snarled in response.

Graystar stood up and yowled for everyone's attention. "It's time to start the gathering!"

* * *

**Cliffie again! Swiftpaw's being a bit of a troublemaker, isn't he? R&R!**

**-Evanessence**


	8. Chapter 7

**Heartsong's Fanfictions- I know. I made Swiftpaw a pretty pitiful character, despite the real Swiftpaw in the Erin Hunter series. I guess he just misses the real world where **_**everyone**_** can see him. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Only one person has the sheer goodness to review? Aw, c'mon! I expected more than that! On my little stats thingy it says I have 19 hits for the last chapter, but only one review! That means 18 people read this and didn't review! Tsk-tsk, shame on you! I expect more reviews this chapter or…or something BAD will happen to Swiftpaw! **

**And yes, that is a threat. MUA HA HA! Now read!**

* * *

Chapter 7

"Swiftpaw, get back here!" Heatherpaw hissed aloud. Heads turned to her, curious looks emanating from every Clan cat in the gathering.

The black and white cat was perched next to Ravenstar, a smile on his face.

"What?" Graystar asked. "Who's Swiftpaw?"

Nightstar hissed angrily. "Ignore my apprentice. She's…"

"Oh, she's _your_ apprentice?" Graystar huffed. "No wonder."

Swiftpaw jumped down from the branches while the leaders were talking, his body passing right through them. He landed on the ground and ran to Heatherpaw.

"Heatherpaw! Be quiet!" Nightstar hissed to the apprentice.

Heatherpaw shot a scathing look at Swiftpaw and bowed her head to the leader. "I'm sorry, Nightstar. It won't happen again."

"We'll talk about this more later." She growled. "Graystar, you would like to go first, right?"

Heatherpaw blushed as Lostpaw and Mistpaw stared at her, their eyes wide with disbelief.

Swiftpaw settled himself right by Lostpaw, a smile plastered on his small face.

"I'm going to kill you." Heatherpaw hissed at him.

"Sorry, I'm already_ dead_!" Swiftpaw laughed.

"Are you talking to me?" Lostpaw asked her, his ice blue eyes flaring angrily.

Heatherpaw shook her head. "N-no, I was just-"

Mistpaw let out a light cough. "Everyone's staring at you."

Swiftpaw quickly disappeared at the blink of an eye, much to Heatherpaw's increasing fury.

The ThunderClan apprentice looked around and flattened her ears in embarrassment. Every cat was looking at her, even the leaders on the Great Tree.

"With your permission, Heatherpaw, I will start." Graystar growled, his tail lashing angrily.

Nightstar buried her face in her chest, too ashamed to say anything.

Heatherpaw's light brown tabby face must have turned bright red in comparison to what she was feeling. "Go ahead, Graystar." She stammered.

Mistpaw shook her head and moved away from her, casting her eyes away from the ThunderClan apprentice.

Graystar cleared his throat. "WindClan has little to say, though we had a new warrior, Sparrowflight."

A black she-cat stood up, and a brief murmur came up from the cats until Graystar let out a yowl.

"Otherwise, the prey is running just fine. The upcoming leaf-bare season shouldn't be a problem for us."

Snakestar stood up next. "ShadowClan is thriving. A new litter of kits were born and, unfortunately, an elder was lost to StarClan."

A wave of grief rippled through the cats and one let out a wail.

"Littlefur will be missed dearly. He was a loyal and devoted Clan member, and ShadowClan will remember him."

Ravenstar abruptly stood up. "Enough of ShadowClan. RiverClan has important news to say."

"What?" Nightstar mewed coolly. "'We found good prey on ThunderClan?'"

Ravenstar hissed at her sister. "Are you accusing RiverClan of stealing prey?"

"Exactly."

From beside Heatherpaw, Lostpaw started to tremble.

"Don't worry, Lostpaw." She whispered to him. "It's going to be okay."

Lostpaw looked at her. "H-how do you know?"

"Rosepaw is my best friend. She told me."

"Great StarClan! I told her to keep it a secret!" His voice shook. "I'm going to be caught, I just know it."

"It's not like you're doing anything wrong. I-"

"Now Ravenstar's going to find out! This is not good!"

Heatherpaw was growing impatient. "Stop panicking, Lostpaw! Just…disguise your scent better next time. Rosepaw really enjoys your company."

Lostpaw smiled. "Really?"

Heatherpaw nodded. She was too busy talking to Lostpaw that she didn't notice that Ravenstar and Nightstar started to fight at the Great Tree.

"StarClan is growing angry!" Cloverleaf cried from the base of the tree. "Stop fighting at once!"

The clouds started to cover the moon, like it always did when fighting broke out at a gathering, showing StarClan's displease with the Clan cats when they broke the sacred truce of peace.

"She's accusing my Clan!" Ravenstar spat.

"She's stealing ThunderClan's prey!" Nightstar bit her sister's ear, causing her to give an enraged screech.

A dark gray cat hurled himself between the leaders, separating them. The she-cats backed away, hissing and spitting.

"StarClan is angry!" The tom growled. "This needless fighting has got to stop!"

"Jaggedtooth, she is unfairly accusing RiverClan of stealing prey!" Ravenstar snarled, glowering at her twin sister.

"Your medicine cat is probably the one doing the stealing!" The black ThunderClan leader retorted.

Jaggedtooth looked surprised. "What?"

"Stop!" Cloverleaf stood next to Jaggedtooth. "This gathering is over."

No one listened to the ThunderClan medicine cat. The RiverClan cats were letting out angry hisses at the ThunderClan cats, who made equally angry noises back at them.

"But I didn't get to talk about my Clan!" Nightstar argued.

"Blame yourself for that." Cloverleaf growled.

Ravenstar snickered, but Jaggedtooth cut her a sharp glare, signaling that this too was her fault.

Heatherpaw turned to Lostpaw, who was looking straight back at her.

"Tell Rosepaw that…that…" He paused for some reason.

"What? Tell her what?" Heatherpaw asked feverishly.

"Tell her I'll see her soon. Tomorrow at twilight at the border. Tell her to come and hurry. I've got something to show her."

Heatherpaw blinked. "Uh…okay."

Lostpaw smiled and got up. "Nice meeting you, Heatherpaw. You will turn out to be a great friend for me, that's for sure."

Heatherpaw cocked her head. The tom's voice sounded…obscure for some reason.

Lostpaw then left her, his tail flicking behind him.

"ThunderClan!" Badgerfrost yowled above the voices of the snarling cats, "let's go!"

The cats didn't need anymore orders to tell them that this gathering was over. Thunder started to rumble in the distance and Heatherpaw's pelt crawled with the thought of possible rain. The one thing she hated most was the feeling of the rainwater soaking into her fur.

"This is not over, Ravenstar!" Nightstar hissed, limping back to the ThunderClan cats.

Ravenstar was also stalking back to her Clan. She turned and spat at her sister, but didn't say anything else.

Snakestar was the first one to lead his Clan out of the island, eager to leave the drama of the ThunderClan and RiverClan cats behind. Graystar and WindClan followed shortly after, their lithe forms almost melting into the night.

Heatherpaw caught a glimpse of Lostpaw's sleek black pelt as he stood with RiverClan and his leader. She caught his blue eyes and he winked, a smile creeping onto his face.

_This is _so_ forbidden…_Heatherpaw thought in despair.

Lostpaw and the RiverClan cats disappeared through the clearing entrance with defiant snarls and spits behind them, showing that they will defend their Clan's pride and show that they were not prey-stealers.

Nightstar padded to the front of the ThunderClan cats, her tail lashing angrily. "Ravenstar clearly knows about all of it!" She hissed.

"Nightstar, we don't want a war with another Clan!" Badgerfrost growled, walking up to his leader's side.

Maplefur, a usually quiet warrior, spoke up, her voice soft. "Especially not with a Clan as strong as RiverClan!"

Nightstar spat. "My sister's stupid Clan is no better than the great ThunderClan!"

Firepaw, who sat himself beside Heatherpaw, murmured, "ThunderClan hasn't been so great after my leadership was over. What happened to all the good leaders in the forest?"

Heatherpaw, for once, agreed with him. "I don't know, Firepaw. I don't know."

"Do we even have proof of RiverClan hunting our prey?" Redfeather asked Nightstar, his calm demeanor angrily contrasting Nightstar's fury.

"We have enough _proof_!" The leader snarled. "She is not going to get away with this! Not while _I, _Nightstar_,_ am leader of ThunderClan!"

"Let's just go back to camp." Badgerfrost mewed tiredly. "We'll figure this out tomorrow."

Heatherpaw gulped. She would have to tell Rosepaw about Lostpaw tomorrow. She probably was asleep at this time of night and also judging by the upcoming storm, Rosepaw did not want to get a single hair on her white fur wet.

As if on cue, the apprentice felt a drop of water land on her head, and soon a few more, until a downpour started to rain on the cats.

"Great!" She groaned, flattening her ears.

"What are we standing here for?" Nightstar hissed, raising her voice through the noisy rain. "Let's go!" She sprinted out of the clearing, the ThunderClan cats following after her, all eager to arrive back in their warm and dry dens.

As Heatherpaw jumped off the tree-bridge to go back to the camp, Swiftpaw appeared next to her, his pelt dry despite the constant downpour of rain.

"Well that was fun, wasn't it?" He asked, a smile on his face.

Heatherpaw grumbled angrily and just continued to run, aware that the ghostly apprentice was following her.

"Gatherings weren't usually _this_ short when I was alive-"

"Shut it!" Heatherpaw suddenly hissed. "I don't want to hear about you, Swiftpaw! Because of you, I looked ridiculous in front of _all _the Clans and probably earning myself a good few moons cleaning the elder's den!"

Swiftpaw looked regretful. "I-I'm sorry-"

"Just leave me alone!" The ThunderClan she-cat hissed and disappeared into the entrance of the camp along with her clanmates, leaving the black and white tom behind.

Swiftpaw sighed as he saw the last of the Clan cats' tails slither into the entrance. "I wish you knew that I can't, Heatherpaw." Without another word, he vanished, the rain still pouring down on the earth-worn ground.

* * *

**Seems Heatherpaw has had enough of Swiftpaw, but –gasp- he can't leave her! Oh no! Now review or else I will carry out my threat! –growls and grabs computer, ready to type- **

**-Evanessence**


	9. Chapter 8

**Those were a lot of reviews…hm, so I guess Swiftpaw is safe…FOR NOW!**

**The Moon Wolf- Yeah, I wonder what will happen too…hm…I just got an idea, thanks!**

**Rileigh A. Jones- Nightstar bugs the crap out of me too. And what was between Heatherpaw and Lostpaw, well, I guess you will have to keep reading to find out, eh?**

**Glitterpaw of ThunderClan- Yes, I believe you mentioned update once or…ten times. And Swiftpaw MAY be dead, but still…**

**Lonekit of Thunderclan- Well, here's the next chapter for your reading enjoyment!**

**Evershine- erm…maybe? You have to keep reading to find answers to them, 'cause, unfortunately for you, I'm not a big fan of giving out spoilers! XD**

* * *

Chapter 8

Heatherpaw slipped inside the apprentice's den, glad to be out of the rain. She looked around and her heart sank when she saw the harsh glint of Foxpaw's green eyes.

"Well, well! I didn't expect you to come back _this_ early!" The she-cat meowed, sauntering over to the light brown tabby apprentice. Firepaw came into the den, shaking his wet fiery red pelt, scattering water droplets all over Foxpaw.

Foxpaw let out a hiss and twitched her whiskers. "And look who you have brought with you. Great!"

"Hi, Foxpaw!" The small tom purred happily, running over to her.

She had a look of disgust on her face as she backed away from him. "I thought I told you to stay at least _ten_ tail-lengths away from me, you freak."

Firepaw frowned, a bit crestfallen. "But that's too far!"

"That's the point. Now scram!"

Heatherpaw watched the apprentice as he trudged off, muttering, "Sandstorm was a _lot_ better than Foxpaw. At least I could get close to her."

Foxpaw turned back to Heatherpaw, a scowl on her face. "That stupid tom better get a life. And this time, it has to be his _own_." She whipped around and left her.

Heatherpaw chuckled. _I don't feel the least bad for Foxpaw. She deserves it._

She shook her sopping wet coat, hissing as a cold draft whipped up from apparently nowhere and turned her body into what felt like ice. Shivering, she padded deeper into the apprentice's den, catching sight of Rosepaw's white pelt. She was sleeping, as Heatherpaw suspected.

She curled up beside her friend and pressed against the white fur, purring contently as Rosepaw's warmth seeped into her freezing body. The apprentice herself let out a grunt and shifted around, but did not wake up.

Before Heatherpaw could fall asleep, she noticed a shadow fall over the entrance of the apprentice's den. For a second, she thought it was Swiftpaw again, coming to annoy her, but it was Redfeather. His fur was sopping wet as he poked his head through the lichen and swept his amber gaze over the sleeping apprentices.

Heatherpaw squeezed her eyes shut and curled her tail over her nose, pretending to be asleep. Redfeather must have thought she was, for he gave a grunt and left, the lichen swaying behind him.

_I can't believe Nightstar's making him check all the dens at night. Poor Redfeather_. She felt a pang of pity for her warrior friend. She closed her eyes and let sleep wash over her.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Heatherpaw woke up to the sound of the normal hustle and bustle of apprentices making their way in and out of the den in the morning.

She blinked sleepily and yawned, feeling as if she did not rest at all.

"What happened to you?" A voice asked above her.

She looked up to see the face of Eaglepaw, his dark brown tabby head cocked to the side.

"Nothing." She answered, getting up and stretching.

Eaglepaw frowned and flicked his tail. "Well…you overslept again today. Nightstar wants you to meet her at the fresh-kill pile for some training."

Heatherpaw groaned inwardly. Why did her mentor have to bother her _now? _Sometimes she wished she had Rosepaw's lazy mentor, Owlflight. He barely takes her training or does anything _else_ for that matter. She froze. Rosepaw. She has to tell her that Lostpaw will be waiting for her at the border at twilight today.

Eaglepaw blinked his amber eyes at her. "I suggest you hurry," He said, "You of all cats know how impatient she can get." Without another word, he slipped out of the den.

Heatherpaw would rather curl up into a ball again and die instead of come out. That would mean she would have to face Rosepaw and tell her about Lostpaw. Should she lie about the meeting altogether? She would also have to face Nightstar's wrath on the gathering last night._ Oh great StarClan, kill me now!_ Before she can finish thinking, a yowl broke out and Heatherpaw knew her mentor's patience had ran out.

"Where's that she-cat?" The leader hissed loudly. "She's late!"

Heatherpaw hurriedly left the apprentice's den and ran towards her mentor, who was glowering at her.

"I told Eaglepaw to tell you to come right away and-" She abruptly stopped, looking at something in her apprentice's face. "What happened to you?"

Heatherpaw blinked. _Why is everyone asking me this question? _She thought angrily. "Nothing, Nightstar."

The black cat shook her head disapprovingly. "I suggest you take a look at your reflection in Cloverleaf's pool." She murmured.

The apprentice tipped her head in confusion. "What's wrong?"

Nightstar pointed a paw at the direction of Cloverleaf's den. "Just go."

Heatherpaw left her, secretly glad she is away from her mentor. She stopped in front of the medicine cat's den. She could see Cloverleaf was busy with a cat and she poked her head inside.

"There, Icefang. That should feel better for you. Does it?"

"Not really." Was the crabby warrior's reply. "My leg still feels the same."

Cloverleaf let out an exasperated sigh. "I can do nothing else for it."

Icefang grimaced and the white she-cat stood up. "You call yourself a medicine cat?" She turned around, caught sight of Heatherpaw and her blue eyes opened wide as twin moons. "Great StarClan." She breathed.

Cloverleaf's tabby head poked around the warrior's shoulder and her eyes widened. "Heatherpaw, come here." She hissed quickly.

Heatherpaw gritted her teeth. "What's wrong? What's wrong with my face?"

Icefang muttered something about 'apprentices these days' and brushed past her.

"Did you wash yourself this morning?" The medicine cat asked, her green eyes growing troubled. She padded up to her.

"Not yet." Heatherpaw replied. In truth, she never does. She always washes after she eats her afternoon fresh-kill, but it was not anything to fuss about…

Cloverleaf abruptly opened her mouth and licked somewhere above Heatherpaw's left eye. The apprentice drew back with a hiss.

"It doesn't wash off." The medicine cat growled.

"_What_ doesn't wash off?"

Cloverleaf blinked at her and put her tail on the apprentice's shoulder. "Come and see." She led her to her pool. Nothing prepared Heatherpaw for what she saw next.

On her left eye was a faded black smudge. She looked closer, her heather-colored eyes squinting. _This had _not_ been here yesterday! _She thought in surprise. It was awkward and ugly, standing out from her beautiful light brown tabby fur.

"_What is this_?" She screeched, retreating from her reflection.

Cloverleaf shook her head. "Don't panic, Heatherpaw. It could be dried dirt in your fur. Remember, it had rained yesterday and the ground was soft."

"Yes, I know, but I don't sleep with my face flat on the floor!" Heatherpaw gave an irritated hiss. "Now I look like I have been beaten by a warrior twice my size!"

The medicine cat let out a purr. "It'll wash off, Heatherpaw, trust me. It's impossible to not have a black smudge one day and then have one the next! Your fur is perfectly fine. Just wash it thoroughly and maybe take a dip in the stream."

Heatherpaw closed her eyes. She absolutely _hated_ taking baths in the stream! Her mother had forced her to do it once and ever since then, she had_ never_ taken a pawstep into the water.

"I know you don't like water, Heatherpaw, but it's probably better than to walk around with _that _all day." Cloverleaf licked her face once again. "I taste the dirt alright. Go wash."

Heatherpaw nodded and left the den, fury boiling in her chest_. If this was some nasty trick Foxpaw did while I was asleep, she's going to wish she had never set her dirty paws in ThunderClan…_

She saw Nightstar pad over to her and the leader had a look of disgust on her face. "So…what was it?" She asked as she reached her apprentice.

Heatherpaw sighed. "Cloverleaf said it was just dirt and to wash it off in the stream."

Nightstar looked doubtful. "It doesn't look like dirt to me. It looks more like a mark or something."

Heatherpaw did not like to believe it, but she had to admit the leader had a point. The smudge looked like it had been there her whole life and now is when she realizes she ever had it. _It doesn't make any sense…_she thought. _Tabby cats never have smudges, at least no cat that _I _know. _

"Well," Nightstar mewed, "try to wash it off at least. It looks horrible."

Heatherpaw grimaced. "Thanks for the compliment." She growled sarcastically.

The leader flicked her ears nonchalantly. "Anytime." She stood up. "I'll be waiting for you at my den. Hurry." With that, she left her.

The apprentice was about to leave the camp when a purr stopped her.

"Heatherpaw! There you are! I've been looking for you!"

Heatherpaw's heart sank. It was Rosepaw.

The white she-cat butted her shoulder, but Heatherpaw still did not turn around to face her.

"What's wrong?" Rosepaw asked, her hot breath on her friend's neck. "I wanted to talk to you yesterday after you came back, but I fell asleep. I'm sorry…"

"No, it's not that." Heatherpaw murmured, her eyes trained on the floor. She did not want her friend to see the embarrassing, ugly black mark on her face.

"What's the matter? Why don't you turn around and face me?"

"If I do, promise me you won't scream."

"Huh? What?" Rosepaw sounded anxious.

Heatherpaw sighed and finally turned around. Rosepaw let out a stifled gasp and her bright green eyes opened wide. She backed away and crouched low on the ground, her fur bristling in fear.

"See? I _tried_ to warn you." Heatherpaw growled, turning away again.

"W-what happened to your _face_?" Rosepaw cried loudly, her voice shaking.

"Shh!" Heatherpaw hissed, stuffing her tail in her friend's mouth before she can say anything else.

Rosepaw murmured something, but it was muffled by the fur.

"Come with me to the stream. I'll explain everything."

Rosepaw nodded, her green eyes growing troubled. She said something, but Heatherpaw's tail stifled whatever it was.

"What did you say?"

Again, Rosepaw said it, but it was still muffled by the fur. She let out a growl and bit her friend's tail, who let out an enraged shriek.

"There! Now I can breathe!" The white she-cat sputtered.

Heatherpaw flicked her tail and gave the tabby fur a brisk lick. "I forgot, sorry."

"That's okay." Rosepaw stared at Heatherpaw's face once again, her mouth open in a slight gape.

Heatherpaw gave an irritated growl and turned her head away from her friend. "Let's go. Nightstar's waiting for me to train."

Together, they left the camp.

* * *

**Seriously, cliffhangers are my BEST friends! Virtually **_**every**_** chapter of my stories has them one way or another!**

**E&E! (Enjoy and Evaluate!)**

…**okay, it **_**does**_** sound cheesy, but I was getting tired of R&R all the time.**

**-Evanessence**


	10. Chapter 9

**WolfSummoner29- Well, when you have a mentor like Nightstar who wants you to be perfect…I would be pretty freaked out.**

**The Moon Wolf- Hm…could be. Who knows? Oh, yeah. I know! –slaps head- Duh!**

**Shandril Wielder of Spellfire- Here's the update for you! Maybe you could answer your questions with this chapter!**

**Owlreader- Firepaw's one pretty weird cat, I know. You'll see in the upcoming chapters who he **_**really**_** is.**

**Evershine- Like I said before, I would be freaked out if one day I suddenly woke up with a black thing on my face! XD**

**Lonekit of Thunderclan- You'll find out those things sooner or later!**

**Rileigh A. Jones- Thanks! :)**

**Heartsong's Fanfictions- Oh, noes! BAD THINGS! I MUST UPDATE! Oh, right! I did! So I am spared…for now.**

* * *

Chapter 9

The two she-cats walked through the forest in silence, listening to the sounds of the morning. Birds chirping, mice scuffling around the undergrowth and the friendly rustling of leaves in the trees. This was what Heatherpaw called home.

They arrived at the small stream trickling between two boulders and running through the forest floor. Heatherpaw believed it eventually flowed to the mighty river that separated their border between RiverClan. Her heart gave a shudder. That reminded her she had to relay the message Lostpaw had entrusted her to Rosepaw.

Heatherpaw, instead of going into the stream, sat down on the earth-worn ground, wrapping her tail around her paws.

Rosepaw followed suit, her ears perked forward to listen to what her friend had to say.

"What do you want to hear first?" Heatherpaw asked her.

The white she-cat blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I have a lot to tell you."

Rosepaw nodded and looked up at the sky for a second. It was cloudy, probably because it had rained the day before and it threatened to rain again today. "Okay." The white she-cat brought her head down to Heatherpaw again. "I want to hear abut the gathering."

The light brown tabby apprentice shrugged. "It wasn't much of a gathering actually."

Rosepaw flicked her tail. "Did you see Lostpaw? How was he?"

Heatherpaw gritted her teeth. The moment she feared had arrived. Her conscience told her to tell the truth, but her heart told her not to, for she loved her friend and did not want her get hurt.

"Uh…"

Rosepaw frowned. "You…_did _see him, did you?"

"Look, Rosepaw,"

The white apprentice's eyes clouded. "He was with another she-cat, wasn't he?"

And that's when Heatherpaw saw him. Swiftpaw appeared behind Rosepaw, his expression worried when he saw her.

Heatherpaw gaped. "No!"

Rosepaw let out a sigh of relief. "Thank StarClan! For a moment there, you had me worried."

Heatherpaw dug her claws into the earth in her frustration. "Rosepaw, would you excuse me for a moment? I…have to make dirt."

Rosepaw whined. "Aw, I want to hear about Lost-"

Swiftpaw suddenly turned to Rosepaw and snarled. He lunged at her, claws extended.

Heatherpaw quickly shoved her out of his way, but instead of _away_, she pushed her straight into the stream and her friend landed with a splash.

Swiftpaw landed where Rosepaw had just stood a moment before. He let out an enraged hiss and lashed his tail. "No!"

Heatherpaw ignored him. "I'm sorry, Rosepaw! I didn't mean to!"

The she-cat shakily stood up, her white fur soaking wet. She turned her head to Heatherpaw and let out a hiss. "If you wanted me to leave, you could've just said so!"

Heatherpaw also hissed. "I _did_, but you were too busy obsessing over your stupid Lostpaw!"

She realized her mistake too late. Rosepaw's lip trembled and her green eyes blazed. "And…and you call yourself my friend?" She whimpered. "Heatherpaw, _why_?"

"Rosepaw!" The light tabby she-cat shook her head. "It's not you, it's-"

"Leave me alone! I never want to see you again!" Rosepaw shot out of sight, her white pelt disappearing into the forest before Heatherpaw can stop her.

"I'm sorry!" Heatherpaw wailed into the air, though Rosepaw was too far away to hear her.

Swiftpaw let out a light cough. "Heatherpaw-"

The apprentice whirled on him, her pelt brisling wildly and her heather-colored eyes blazing. "You! Get out of my life before you ruin it!"

Swiftpaw opened his mouth to say something, but the she-cat interrupted him once again.

"No, wait! You already did!" Heatherpaw whipped around to leave him, but Swiftpaw appeared in front of her, stopping her in her tracks.

"You can't leave!" The dead cat told her, his amber eyes pleading.

"Try to stop me, you good for nothing excuse for a cat!"

Swiftpaw flinched and sidestepped out of her way. "Go ahead." He murmured quietly. "I can't stop you. I'm…dead after all, aren't I?"

Heatherpaw nodded angrily. "Exactly." She walked straight past him and stepped into the undergrowth to head for the camp. She was going _try_ to make amends with Rosepaw, but Swiftpaw spoke again, stopping her.

"But…you didn't try to wash that mark away. Aren't you at least…curious about what it is?"

Heatherpaw blinked, contemplating her next move. _Should I trust that piece of fox-dung?_ She asked herself. _However…I really want to know what this thing on my face is…I've got a feeling it won't go away just with a bath._

She turned around and faced the apprentice. "Alright. You've got my attention. Make it quick, I've got Nightstar waiting for me back at camp." She sat down, narrowed her eyes at him and flicked her tail, signifying her impatience.

Swiftpaw nodded and sat down, keeping his distance from the she-cat. "That mark on your face, when you saw it in your reflection…did you see any resemblance to something at all?"

Heatherpaw thought about this, but she shook her head. "No. I just thought I looked like one, sad looking apprentice that had just taken a bad beating." Then, with a jolt, she realized something. An important clue that confused her even more.

Swiftpaw shook his head. "No, not something, but some_one_."

Heatherpaw jumped up just from the sheer shock of it. "It's…_you_." She stammered.

Swiftpaw nodded grimly.

Until now, Heatherpaw had never really noticed anything peculiar on the apprentice's semi-transparent black and white coat, but now the black smudge on his left eye stood out from all the other haphazard black smudges on his white-pelted body. There was one on his right hindquarter, making it look as if he was branded, another in the center of his back, a couple on his chest and underbelly and the last one on his right paw.

Swiftpaw blinked uncomfortably as she examined him. He flicked his tail and the she-cat jumped back.

"What's wrong with me?" Heatherpaw whimpered. "How can I get rid of this thing on my face?"

Swiftpaw gritted his teeth and his amber eyes closed. "I-"

"Do you have an answer? Can you help me?"

"Um…"

"You do? Tell me!" The she-cat was visibly distraught. It was as if the smudge was some sort of disease and she was trying to find a cure for it right away.

"Well…"

Heatherpaw was furious now. "Swiftpaw! Can. You. Help. Me?" She spat the words.

"…actually, no. But-"

"_What_?" The she-cat screeched so loud Swiftpaw swore StarClan must have heard.

"I don't know anything about this, Heatherpaw. I'm sorry. This is the first time I find out about this too."

Heatherpaw shook her head in disbelief. "You…you _lied _to me?"

"It was the only thing I could do to talk to you, Heatherpaw. I'm just as scared as you are. Another cat having the same identical mark as_ I_ do doesn't happen every day, you know."

Heatherpaw hissed at that. "And a dead cat coming to ruin your life doesn't happen every day either, you know." She finished that sentence with a mocking tone, but Swiftpaw did not seem to have minded.

He shrugged. "True."

Heatherpaw then cocked her head, much to his surprise. Her anger had suddenly evaporated, replaced by curiosity. "Where…_do_ you come from? You never told me."

Swiftpaw's expression darkened. "I…can't tell you just yet."

Heatherpaw's eyes narrowed. "Why are you haunting me? Can you answer _that_?"

Swiftpaw bowed his head and sighed. "I don't know myself."

The ThunderClan she-cat lashed her tail angrily. "I don't like all these secrets, Swiftpaw. If you're really going to haunt me for the rest of my life, we might as well get to know each other. I need some basic information, you know. For example, where you came from, who you really were, how you died-"

"A pack of dogs." Swiftpaw muttered softly.

"Huh? What?"

"I said, a pack of dogs. A pack of dogs killed me when I was an apprentice." Swiftpaw's body suddenly shuddered with some unknown memory.

Heatherpaw frowned. _Funny,_ she thought, _that's what Firepaw said._ She shook away the thought and sat down, intrigued. "What happened?" She asked.

"It was a stupid idea from the start, but…it was the only way I could prove myself to be a warrior."

"Prove yourself?"

"Yes. I was already due to become a warrior and my friend Brightpaw too, but our leader, Bluestar-"

Heatherpaw gasped. "Bluestar? The leader before Firestar? Isn't she the one who went insane?"

Swiftpaw nodded and forced himself to smile. "You could say she went insane. But the truth was, she didn't trust anyone ever since…ever since…" He suddenly took a deep breath. "Ever since Tigerstar tried to murder her."

"And Firestar was the only one she could trust, right?"

"Unfortunately, yes. So she didn't trust us apprentices enough to make us warriors, calling us all traitors and stupid mouse-brain things like that."

"But, Swiftpaw," Heatherpaw abruptly mewed, "how come I have never heard of you, like Firestar of even Cloudtail, his nephew?"

Swiftpaw gave her a long, sad look. "Because when I died, all the attention focused on Brightheart-"

"_She_ was the Brightpaw you talked about? Oh, now I remember! Her face was ripped apart by a dog and she was half-blind! You were in that fight too?"

Swiftpaw nodded. "I wasn't as famous as she was. That means I was quickly forgotten."

For once, Heatherpaw felt a pang of pity for the dead cat. _It must feel bad to have everyone forget about you…_she thought.

Suddenly, a rustle sounded from behind Heatherpaw and Nightstar slipped out. "Heatherpaw? What's taking you so long?"

Heatherpaw's heart skipped a beat. Swiftpaw nodded to her, but she stammered, "I'm still trying to wash it off, Nightstar."

"Hurry it up, will you? I haven't got all day!" With that, she slipped into the bushes again.

Heatherpaw turned back to Swiftpaw again and the tom shook his head. "I'm afraid that's all I can tell you for now."

The ThunderClan apprentice let out a whine. "No! I want to hear more!"

"I can't, but I just want to apologize for yesterday, I got…carried away. That had been my first gathering in a long time."

"That's okay." Heatherpaw whispered. She now understood that Swiftpaw was more than just the annoying spirit that came every so often to bug her. "But, can I ask you one last question?"

Swiftpaw started to fade, but he nodded. "Sure."

Heatherpaw bit her lip, but she managed to say it. "Why did you try to attack Rosepaw earlier?"

Swiftpaw's eyes darkened and he growled softly. "Because in those she-cat's eyes I saw Tigerstar."

* * *

**Whoa, BIG cliffie here! E&E!**

**-Evanessence**


	11. Chapter 10

**Hawkflight7- Is he? OMG!**

**xXxForgottensongxXx- I'm glad you like my stories! The Legacy Trilogy: Book 1 is pretty long so far. I'm planning to make it 50 chapters, so if I do my math right (I hate math) that's going to be more than 100,000 words long. Whoa!**

**Heartsong's Fanfictions- Cliffies are my soul mate! –hugs Cliffies-**

**Rileigh A. Jones- Here's the next chapter! If you though you hated Nightstar before, now you're going to want to KILL her! (but only **_**I**_** can do that, heh-heh)**

* * *

Chapter 10

"Tigerstar? What-" Before Heatherpaw could finish her question, Swiftpaw disappeared.

She hissed in frustration and tore at the ground below her with unsheathed claws. _Why does he always have to leave me hanging like that? _She thought angrily. _He thinks Rosepaw is…no, that can't be! If I have ever known an angel, it would be Rosepaw. _

Then she rethought that. _Well, what she is doing with Lostpaw isn't exactly what I would call 'angelic'. _

"Heatherpaw! What are you doing?"

It was her darling mentor, Nightstar.

"Uh, just a second!" Heatherpaw hurried to the stream and abruptly dipped her paw into the pool and splashed the water on her smudge. She half-hoped to see dirt run down her face, but alas, there was none.

"_HEATHERPAW_!" Nightstar screeched.

The apprentice was so startled that she lost her footing on the small, pebbly bank and landed face first into the water, her fur immediately absorbing the liquid like a sponge. She lifted her head out of the water with a gasp. _As if I didn't already have enough water for the day_! She thought crossly.

The ThunderClan leader was standing over her, her mouth formed into a snarl. "What are you doing in the stream? It was only your face."

"I…fell." The she-cat muttered and stood up, water clinging to her fur like stubborn vines on a tree.

Nightstar did not look pleased. "You look like a drowned rat."

Heatherpaw decided to take this from her well-known sarcastic view. "Why, thank you, Nightstar. I say you look pretty spiffy yourself."

Nightstar's lip curled in disgust and she lashed her tail in anger. "Meet me in the training hollow." She was about to pad off, but the she looked over her shoulder back at her apprentice. "By the way, it didn't come off."

"I noticed that, Nightstar." Heatherpaw growled. "Thanks for reminding me."

The leader just scoffed and left her alone.

Heatherpaw shook her pelt, scattering the droplets of water all around her. "Now I know what a RiverClan cat feels like." She groaned and stepped out of the stream. That reminded her once again of Lostpaw. _Why am _I _the one stuck in the middle of their relationship?_ _Why can't they do it on their own? _She shook that last selfish thought away.

The ThunderClan apprentice padded away from the stream and out into the forest. She ran all the way to the training hollow, where she expected her mentor to be waiting for her.

She stopped at the entrance, out of breath. She looked around, but Nightstar was nowhere to be seen. _She told me to be here as fast as I can! _She thought angrily. Her pelt had dried while she made her mad dash over to the training hollow and now it stood up on its end as if she was some sort of porcupine.

"Nightstar!" She called out, padding forward a few steps. She took a deep breath and a whiff of her mentor's scent drifted over to her nose. _She's here, but _where? Heatherpaw asked herself.

Suddenly, she felt a weight crash onto her back and she tumbled to the ground, pinned down. She snarled and writhed around, trying to free herself. "Who-" She started to hiss but Nightstar's voice interrupted her.

"A half-lame badger could've caught you off guard, Heatherpaw." She jumped off her apprentice, landing softly on the ground.

Heatherpaw shakily stood up, her still wide with disbelief. "Why did you do that?" She asked her mentor angrily.

Nightstar sat down and neatly wrapped her tail around her black paws. "To test you, Heatherpaw. I'm afraid you failed."

"What did I do? Fight back, like any other normal cat?" The apprentice growled.

"I'm not going to argue with you!" The black cat hissed.

Heatherpaw was not done yet. "And not only that, you told me you were going to be here, but you _lied_ to me!"

Nightstar narrowed her amber eyes. "If a cat were to tell you to jump in the river, would you do it?"

Heatherpaw crinkled her nose in disgust. "No!" _I already had enough water for today! _She thought.

"So, never trust what any cat says."

"B-but…" Heatherpaw stammered. "You're the leader! I'm _supposed_ to trust you!"

Nightstar stood up. "I suppose then you would trust Snakestar, Graystar…and even _Ravenstar_!" She spat out her sister's name, as if it was some vile poison.

"No, Nightstar, but you're the ThunderClan leader, I-" Heatherpaw stopped. _It's no use telling her this. _She thought. _She will just take it literally again._

"Just stop talking and let's train." Nightstar growled. She flicked her tail, where Heatherpaw's old friend the pinecone lay. "There's a pinecone. Go hunt it."

Heatherpaw groaned inwardly. "But-"

Nightstar sighed in frustration. "Just do it!"

The apprentice growled softly and dropped down on her haunches, distributing her weight between all four of her carefully placed paws. She lowered her tail and haunches and snarled at the pinecone. _Here we go again!_ She thought and crept forward.

She heard her mentor mutter something behind her, but Heatherpaw was too intent on capturing the pinecone to notice. Once she was within distance, she pounced.

She was careful to avoid the pinecone's prickly surface this time, so instead her front paws landed several inches from it, her hind paws thudding after. The pinecone was under her belly and she let out a triumphant yowl. "I've got you!" She carefully picked it up between her sharp teeth and she padded over to her mentor, her head high in pride.

The black cat had a confused look on her face. "I don't know how to say this, Heatherpaw-"

The she-cat let out a purr. "Just say it was perfect!" She put down the pinecone and kneaded the ground. "Say it!" Her heather-colored eyes shone at the possibility of impressing her mentor for the first time. She closed her eyes and waited for the praise.

Nightstar gave a grunt. "Almost."

Heatherpaw could have sworn her heart hit the floor. "W-what?"

"You didn't catch it. I have to admit though, your crouch was excellent."

Heatherpaw was enraged. "It is a _pinecone_, Nightstar!" she drawled for the cat. "It doesn't run away!"

Nightstar just stared at her with her cool, amber gaze. "I know that. But if it were a mouse, it would've-"

Before she could finish the sentence, the spiny pinecone was jammed into her muzzle, causing her jump back in pain.

Heatherpaw ran out of the training hollow, smirking when her mentor yowled words StarClan frowned upon, her voice slightly muffled by the pinecone lodged in her mouth. She smiled to herself, thinking StarClan ought to have taken some of her lives away for that if any of them had the sense of a newborn kit. She kept running until her legs shook out of pure exhaustion.

She stopped near the WindClan border, her flanks heaving as she regained her breath. "Away," She muttered. "I just have to be _away_ from everyone else." The tabby cat looked at her surroundings, the trees swaying softly with the rhythm of the wind and the birds busy chirping their hearts out. The hot afternoon sunlight poked from the high canopy of the trees and she wondered how long she had been out of the camp.

Heatherpaw started to lick her ruffled tabby fur, thinking she must have looked like a cross between a cat and a porcupine with her black smudge and her pointy fur. Once she has smoothed down her fur, she sighed and stretched out her legs.

She looked across the moor to WindClan territory, where the WindClan cats called their home. She briefly wondered how life must be for them_._ I can't stand living in those moors. She thought. I would feel so exposed. She lied down on the earthy floor, resting her head between her paws in a sphinx-like position.

However, before she could even start to relax, a scent wafted up to her nose. A scent that even a fish-lover RiverClan cat could have_ easily_ recognized. _Mouse!_ Heatherpaw thought excitedly and jumped up.

She sniffed vigorously, trying to track the direction of the prey. She looked to her right, where she could spot a slight scuffling in the undergrowth. _There!_ She dropped down into her well-practiced crouch and stalked forward, her eyes trained on the tiny brown body.

_I'm going to show Nightstar to put her words where they belong!_ Her claws unsheathed and her muscles tensed for the surefire kill. _Up her-_ Suddenly a shape barreled out from the vegetation and a cat caught the mouse before she could even blink in surprise.

It was a tom and by the scent, Heatherpaw could tell he was from RiverClan.

"Hey!" The apprentice hissed.

The tom looked up at her, his amber eyes narrowed. "I'm sorry, were you hunting this?" He growled through the fur of his prey.

Heatherpaw's pelt bristled in anger. "You're on ThunderClan territory!"

"Oh, really?" The tom sniggered and dropped the mouse. "Is your mentor around?"

The ThunderClan she-cat shook her head, which could have been the worst mistake of her life.

"Okay, then. I suppose I'll be taking this." The gray tom grabbed the mouse once again.

Heatherpaw suddenly barreled into the cat, her claws unsheathed. She dug them into his flank and the RiverClan cat gave an agonized yowl. Before Heatherpaw can open her jaws to give the trespassing tom what he deserved, a weight crashed to her side and she rolled away, a paw firmly pressed on her chest.

"Look what we have here!" A smooth voice crooned. Ravenstar was the one holding her down. "Nightstar's annoying little apprentice." She frowned when she saw the unsightly smudge on the apprentice's face. "Well, at least I_ think_ she is."

"Let me go!" Heatherpaw spat.

The RiverClan leader shook her head. "I believe I can't do that, sweetie." Heatherpaw felt the she-cat's claws slide out and just barely pierce her flesh. "Shadeclaw," she addressed to the gray tom Heatherpaw first encountered, "tell the others to retreat back to our territory."

Shadeclaw gave a gruff reply, but it was too soft for Heatherpaw to make out comprehensible words.

"No we are not leaving the prey!" Ravenstar snarled at him. "What did we come here for, then? Go!"

Shadeclaw then left them, muttering to himself.

Heatherpaw struggled underneath Ravenstar's iron grip, but it was as if she was trying to move Owlflight to go on a patrol. It just cannot be done.

"Don't move." Ravenstar hissed in her ear. "It'll just make it worse."

"You're stealing our prey!" Heatherpaw spat back, her ears flattened against her head.

Ravenstar smiled crookedly. "Well, Nightstar asked for it, didn't she?"

Before Heatherpaw could reply, Shadeclaw came back with at least three other warriors. She gasped.

Ravenstar let out a light purr. "Scared?" She asked.

Heatherpaw did not answer, her eyes smothering with hatred.

"We're ready." Shadeclaw growled, lashing his tail.

Ravenstar suddenly became a blur and Heatherpaw felt the cat's teeth sink into her scruff. She let out a surprised gasp and she went limp, like a little kit would do in its mother's grasp.

"Go ahead." Ravenstar ordered her clanmates. "But Moonfur, stay. I'm taking this cat back to camp."

Heatherpaw almost cried out. _They're taking me prisoner_! She thought in despair. She struggled once again, but it was in vain. The cat that called herself Moonfur had appeared by her side, the she-cat's icy blue eyes burning holes into Heatherpaw's light brown tabby fur.

Shadeclaw at the two other cats disappeared, jaws full of prey. Ravenstar, with a limp Heatherpaw and Moonfur followed them.

Heatherpaw's heart raced frantically. She opened her mouth to cry out, but Moonfur flicked her tail on the apprentice's mouth, quickly closing it.

"No, no, no!" The silver she-cat sneered. The continued to walk in silence, Heatherpaw's hopes sinking. _These are too many cats for me to fight!_

Ravenstar dropped Heatherpaw when they arrived at the WindClan border.

"Where going into WindClan territory?" Heatherpaw whimpered, shaking her pelt.

"How else are we going to get to RiverClan?" Ravenstar growled and stepped across the border.

"I-I can't!" The ThunderClan apprentice shook her head. Suddenly, she felt a hard shove and before she knew what she was doing, she scrambled over the border.

"Go on." Moonfur hissed from behind her and the apprentice reluctantly kept padding forward, her ears flattened.

Once they were well into WindClan territory, Heatherpaw suddenly felt agitated. _We're going to get caught, we're going to get caught…_She kept repeating to herself.

"WindClan will never notice we're here." Ravenstar growled softly, as if she was reading Heatherpaw's mind. "Those lazy cats never bother to check their borders."

Heatherpaw was not the least bit relieved. As she trekked with the RiverClan cats, she let her mind wander on the consequences before Ravenstar let out a low hiss.

"We're here."

A strong scent of RiverClan flooded her nose and Heatherpaw had to shake her head to get rid of it. They had arrived on Ravenstar's home territory. The sound of water hit her ears and she knew the mighty river was nearby.

"Come." Ravenstar ordered and Moonfur was at Heatherpaw's side once again, nudging her to keep moving forward.

"How am I ever going to get out of this?" The apprentice mumbled and she let herself be led deep into the RiverClan territory.

* * *

**Ravenstar took Heatherpaw hostage! That could only mean…CLIFFHANGER! **

**-Evanessence**


	12. Chapter 11

**Shandril Wielder of Spellfire- I made them that way! XD**

**xXxForgottensongxXx- Okay… o.0**

**Rileigh A. Jones- Ha! Voodoo doll! –stabs doll- Cool!**

**Owlreader- They don't? I thought they did! Well, I remember that Tigerstar and Leopardstar took some HalfClan cats in the original books, but…it's been so long…I have to reread them. As for your fic, I'll try to read it, but I can't guarantee I can review. I'm so busy these days and school hasn't even started yet! XD**

**Lonekit of ThunderClan- This story is strangely popular! I didn't know it would have 47 reviews in the first ten chapters! Heh, wow. I'm glad you like it!**

**Here's chapter 11!**

* * *

Chapter 11

Heatherpaw could hear the cats whispering. Whispering about _her_.

Ravenstar had told her stay put but she felt the urge to run. Run away from all these staring eyes.

"Heatherpaw?" Finally, a familiar voice. Heatherpaw turned around to see who it was. He was exactly the _last_ cat she wanted to see right now.

"What are you doing here?" Lostpaw asked, his voice growing concerned. "Is something wrong? Did something happen to Rosepaw?"

"She's fine!" Heatherpaw spat. "Your stupid leader took me prisoner!"

"Hey!" A cat hissed, padding up to stand next to Lostpaw. "That's Ravenstar you're talking about!"

"I know." Lostpaw growled.

Heatherpaw could not suppress a smirk. She looked at the dark brown warrior. He was no-one she knew, of course. She never had talked to any RiverClan cat besides Lostpaw.

"I'm here to guard the prisoner." The tom mewed, his voice growing deep and raspy. It made Heatherpaw want to ask him if he was thirsty or something.

"Don't worry, Rowanfang, she sent me." Lostpaw quickly meowed, his black tail flicking impatiently.

Rowanfang looked surprised. "_You_? Really?"

Lostpaw nodded in a matter-of-factly way. "Yes, Rowanfang, now go."

Heatherpaw took Rowanfang as a cat that needs extra…patience to work with. She chuckled to herself. _He'll work just fine with Nightstar!_ She thought.

"But Ravenstar said_ I_ would do it." The tom drawled stupidly, his blue eyes clouding with confusion.

"Rowanfang, are you having those illusions again? You know what Jaggedtooth said about that…"

"No I am _not_!" The warrior defended himself. "I…I just thought…"

"Go on." Lostpaw flicked his tail again, desperately wanting to get rid of him.

"Oh, alright." Rowanfang left, mumbling softly to himself.

Lostpaw exhaled deeply. "Finally he's out of my fur!"

"Who's he?" Heatherpaw asked, watching the dark brown tail of the tom disappear into the warrior's den. The RiverClan camp was a simple one, made out of reeds, river rocks and many other numerous things Heatherpaw could not name. The warrior's den was just a clump of reeds, decorated with some shells and feathers.

"He's…well, he's another story altogether." Lostpaw sighed. "Let's just say he wasn't born right."

"Not right? You mean, as in stupid?"

"Hm. Stupid's not the word. He's just not right in his brain. Sometimes he has these weird _illusions_." Lostpaw shivered, as if he was remembering something especially horrifying about these 'illusions' Rowanfang has.

"I guess I don't want to hear about it, huh?" Heatherpaw whispered, seeing the black tom shudder.

Lostpaw nodded. "Yeah."

Heatherpaw abruptly turned serious. "Lostpaw, RiverClan really _is_ stealing ThunderClan prey."

The tom looked confused. "Huh? So...so it's not just me going to see Rosepaw?"

Heatherpaw shook her head. "No."

"Wow. Have you told Rosepaw about our meeting at twilight?"

The she-cat silently cursed herself. _Lostpaw expected me to tell her! What do I tell him _now? "About that-"

"Doesn't matter." The RiverClan cat mewed. "I'm sure you told her. She's your best friend, didn't you say she was?"

Heatherpaw nodded dumbly. _He thinks I told her! _She thought. _What happens when Rosepaw isn't there to meet him at twilight? Great StarClan, what do I do?_

Lostpaw suddenly looked grave. "I can't believe Ravenstar actually took you prisoner! What did you do?"

"Absolutely _nothing_!" The light brown tabby she-cat spat. "I was hunting a mouse when all of the sudden Ravenstar caught me and dragged me all the way here."

Lostpaw's blue eyes narrowed. "Do you know what that means?"

Heatherpaw blinked. "What?"

"That means she-"

"Lostpaw!" A small apprentice she-cat hurried to their side. She stopped when she saw Heatherpaw. "Uh…"

"Hi." The ThunderClan apprentice growled.

"What do you want, Goldenpaw?" Lostpaw asked the RiverClan apprentice, a slight edge to his voice.

Goldenpaw, a light brown she-cat, turned her head back to the tom. "Spottedfur wants you to train with her today."

"Mouse-dung." Lostpaw swore.

"Who are _you_?" Goldenpaw asked Heatherpaw, her amber eyes narrowing.

Heatherpaw just flicked her tail. "Does it matter?" She asked coolly, carefully dodging the younger apprentice's question.

Goldenpaw blinked, clearly taken back. "Uh…"

"Tell Spottedfur I'll be right there." Lostpaw mewed shortly and flicked his tail. "Go away."

Goldenpaw nodded, a confused look still plastered onto her face. She glanced at Heatherpaw. "Goodbye…whoever you are." She then left, her long tail lashing behind her.

"Is Spottedfur your mentor?" Heatherpaw asked Lostpaw once Goldenpaw was out of earshot.

The black tom nodded wearily. "Unfortunately."

Heatherpaw smirked. "You're not the only one who has a tough mentor, you know."

Lostpaw shrugged. "I have to go." He mewed, taking a few steps back.

"No," Heatherpaw cried, "wait! How am I supposed to get out of here?"

"Beats me." Lostpaw shrugged again. "Don't worry; Ravenstar doesn't keep her prisoners for a very long time." With that, he bounded away, much to Heatherpaw's frustration.

_He said 'prisoners',_ she thought angrily, _that means I'm not the only one!_

She looked around the camp, expecting WindClan and ShadowClan cats sitting idly in the middle of the camp just as she was, but there was none. She then looked at where Lostpaw was, which was near the camp entrance. He was talking to a broad shouldered tortoiseshell she-cat. _That must be Spottedfur, his mentor,_ she thought, _and RiverClan's deputy._

Suddenly, she wanted to hit herself. _I should've told Rosepaw about Lostpaw sooner! _She thought angrily. _Then he could tell her about my capture and she could have ThunderClan come and take me back! Oh, what have I done! I've sealed my own doom!_

She buried her muzzle in her chest. After a few moments, she heard a loud thudding of paws and looked up to see Rowanfang had settled himself beside her, a grim expression on his face.

"I knew Lostpaw wouldn't stay." He grumbled, almost as if he was explaining to her why he was there, but she knew he was talking to himself.

Heatherpaw blinked. The tom's coat was straggly, dirty, unkempt and there was a certain…odor wafting from it. She briefly wondered whether it had ever felt a tongue after his kit days.

She dared to scoot herself away from the tom, but he looked up at her, his blue eyes blazing. "Running away?" He asked.

"Uh…not really." She forced herself to smile.

Rowanfang looked at her suspiciously and scooted right back uncomfortably close to her. "Good, 'cause Ravenstar wouldn't like her prisoners running away. Oh, no, no, no. She wouldn't like it at all."

Heatherpaw gritted her teeth. _Great StarClan! Do all RiverClan cats' breath smell this bad? Argh!_ She turned her head away from the tom.

Rowanfang suddenly puffed his chest, as if he was being praised. "Are you proud? Oh yes, I know! I'm guarding the prisoner!"

Heatherpaw blinked. The tom was talking to himself again.

"No, she's from ThunderClan." Rowanfang drawled and he flicked his ears, as if he was hearing a reply. He abruptly turned to Heatherpaw, who jumped in surprise.

"Are you Leafpool?" He asked.

"Huh?"

"I asked are you Leafpool?" He then turned back to his own little world. "Uh, I don't think she knows who Leafpool is. Oh, the ThunderClan medicine cat."

"I know who she is!" Heatherpaw snapped.

"Are you Leafpool?" Rowanfang asked again, his big blue eyes seemingly distant.

"No, I'm not!" _Something's seriously wrong with this cat._ She thought angrily.

Rowanfang shook his head. "No, she's not." He turned back to Heatherpaw.

"Are you sure?"

Heatherpaw wanted to claw his face just for annoying her. "Yes, I'm sure!"

Rowanfang cocked his head, and then he frowned. "How sure?"

"Pretty sure!" Heatherpaw was infuriated with him. She turned her back to him, wrapping her tail around her paws. _He's scaring me_! She thought. _He thinks I'm Leafpool!_ _She's_ dead_, for StarClan's sake!_

"Rowanfang!" A loud feminine voice yowled. "What did I tell you about talking to the prisoner?" Ravenstar suddenly ran up to them, her amber eyes narrowed.

"Sorry, gotta go." Rowanfang was still mumbling to himself. "Ravenstar is mad at me again."

"Get out of here, you babbling mouse-brain!" Ravenstar spat at the tom, making him cringe. He quickly got up, almost falling over his paws in the process.

"Now!" The RiverClan leader hissed and Rowanfang was gone in an instant, his tail between his legs in fear.

"That stupid idiot."

Heatherpaw could not help but defend the tom. "You sent him over to guard me, didn't you?" She asked.

"Shut up!" The black she-cat snarled at her. "I wasn't talking to you!"

Heatherpaw looked around. "But there's no one else here with us…"

Ravenstar raised an unsheathed paw, almost as if she was going to strike her. "I said shut up!"

Heatherpaw flattened her ears but did not say anything.

Ravenstar then lashed her tail angrily. "Good for nothing cats. None of them can do a simple job like guarding a prisoner, so I have to do it myself." She sat down next to Heatherpaw, a frown on her face.

Heatherpaw tried hard not to look at the RiverClan leader, but she succumbed to her desire and she did. She noticed Ravenstar had a large, ugly scar running down her left shoulder down to her leg. She shuddered at the thought of what might have caused it.

"What are you looking at?" Ravenstar growled, not even flicking her ears to show she had noticed Heatherpaw's stare.

The ThunderClan apprentice was startled and she looked away. "Uh…nothing, sir…er, ma'am. Nothing, _ma'am_."

Ravenstar snarled, but did not turn to look at Heatherpaw. "I got it from my sister just in case you were wondering."

"Nightstar?"

The RiverClan leader nodded. "It's a rather long story, really. In short, I was the one exiled and my sister being the all high and mighty deputy." She flicked her white-tipped tail irritably. "What was that idiot of a leader _thinking_ when he chose her as his deputy?"

Heatherpaw could not help but give a small smile. "Something tells me he was just like Nightstar."

"In every way." Ravenstar agreed, finally turning to look at the apprentice. "Thornstar was not even a _leader_. He was just the biggest coward that this forest has ever seen."

"Really?" Heatherpaw was surprised she has engaged in a conversation with her captor, even though she despised her as much as she did to her twin.

Ravenstar let out a dry laugh. "He was even afraid to go to gatherings!"

Heatherpaw forced herself to laugh along with the leader.

Ravenstar abruptly turned serious. "You seem…different, apprentice."

"It's Heatherpaw." The tabby quickly mewed.

"Whatever." The leader's amber eyes narrowed. "You seem to hate my sister just as much as _I_ do, even though she's your leader. I guess life as her apprentice must be a pain in the rump, huh?"

"Definitely."

Ravenstar let out a snort. "All she ever wanted to do was make a good impression on everyone. A goody-goody, if you will. She was always father's favorite, you know."

Heatherpaw twitched her whiskers. "Uh…"

"What, Featherpaw?"

"It's Heatherpaw. I just want to ask a question."

"You interrupted me, how rude of you." Ravenstar gave her a snarl and her fur bristled. Heatherpaw closed her eyes and braced for the surefire scratch, but Ravenstar surprisingly did nothing. "I suppose since you have no one else to teach you other than my sister, I guess I can forgive you."

Heatherpaw was about to say she also had her parents, but she bit it back. "I'm sorry."

"Just ask the question, Thunderclanner, before my patience runs dry."

"What…exactly are we waiting for?"

"Your Clan, of course." Ravenstar chuckled to herself. "It seemed so obvious."

Heatherpaw frowned. "My Clan, why?"

"I'm keeping you hostage here for a reason, apprentice, and it's not just for infuriating my sister. I'm going to give ThunderClan a little offer."

Heatherpaw was numbed in her disbelief. "W-what?"

"Oh, yes. It's pure genius. Since you interrupted our little 'hunting patrol' in ThunderClan territory, we decided to capture you for only one reason at the time at that was so you don't go and squeal to your little ThunderClan friends about us. But then I was thinking maybe I can use you to my advantage."

Heatherpaw hissed. "I don't like being used!"

"Well, too bad!" Ravenstar sneered. "If my sister has the brain of a two month old kit she would have noticed you were gone a long time ago, but…knowing her, she probably never did."

Heatherpaw felt her heart sink. _Even if Nightstar is clueless, she still has to notice!_ _I'm her apprentice, for StarClan's sake! _She thought desperately. Her heart sank even more when she thought, _but then she's probably angry at me because I shoved a pinecone into her mouth earlier. How about Rosepaw? Oh, right. She_ hates_ me now. Great! I hope _someone _notices I'm gone!_

Ravenstar chuckled at something she had said, but Heatherpaw was too busy brooding to listen. "It took her two whole moons for her to notice there was a conspiracy plotting against her! What an _idiot_!"

Heatherpaw did not care what the leader said about Nightstar, but all her hope of ever escaping resides on the black cat that calls herself the ThunderClan leader. She sighed in frustration. _Aren't I great at getting myself into trouble?_ She thought sarcastically and she buried her head into her chest._ I'm doomed._

Ravenstar had spoken again, but Heatherpaw managed to only catch the last sentence.

"Sit tight, sweetie. It looks like there's going to be along night ahead of us."

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**How did you think of that chapter? I know, no Swiftpaw again, but he's coming in a few more chapters, don't worry. Honestly, my favorite character right now is Rowanfang. I made him just so confusing. Until next time! **

**-Evanessence**


	13. Chapter 12

**Lonekit of ThunderClan- T.T Really? Do I take THAT long to update? I update almost everyday!**

**xXxForgottensongxXx- Ew. I hate pickles. –puts on a snobbish disgusted face-**

**Glitterpaw- I can't answer that! That would be giving it away, and that's not good!**

**The Moon Wolf- I can't say anything about that…like I said before, it would be giving it away! –zips up mouth- My lips are sealed.**

**Rileigh A. Jones- These voodoo dolls are getting popular now! –stabs Ravenstar doll- I can't answer the Goldenpaw question, 'cause that would be so unauthorish of me. Like I said, my lips are sealed!**

**I decided to do this chapter on another cat's point of view to be different. XD**

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Chapter 12

Eaglepaw pinned his mentor down with a single paw, a smile creeping onto his face.

"V-very good." Maplefur breathed, her amber eyes narrowing. "You are a natural fighter, Eaglepaw."

The tom let the she-cat go and shrugged. "I guess I take after my father, huh?"

"That's right." Maplefur got up on her four paws again and shook herself. "Brownfur was…one of the greatest ThunderClan warriors."

Eaglepaw shuffled his paws in embarrassment. Cats are always praising him on how he's just like his father. Yet he always felt that…something was missing. He was always seen as his father's son. Not Eaglepaw. He wants to do something, _anything_, which will prove to the Clan that he's not just Brownfur's son, but _Eaglepaw_, who's even _better _than whatever his father was.

"Someday you're going to be as great as him, you'll see." Maplefur purred.

"Maybe even better." The brown tabby tom murmured.

His mentor smirked. "Ambitious, aren't we?"

Eaglepaw shrugged. Maybe he was, but he absolutely _hated_ being in his father's shadow. _It's time to step it up, Eaglepaw. _He thought. _Brownfur's name will be just a name by the time you're a warrior, you'll see! Maybe Heatherpaw will finally notice you! _At that thought, he smiled.

"Let's go back to camp." Maplefur yawned, blinking sleepily.

Eaglepaw shook his head. "No! We haven't trained enough!"

The tabby she-cat gave him a tired look. "Eaglepaw, we've trained long enough. We've been training since morning, and now it's noon. What more do you want?"

"I thought you wanted me to become a great warrior!"

"I do," the she-cat mewed, "but even Brownfur needed his rest. C'mon." With that, she left the training hollow, her tail dragging on the ground.

Eaglepaw gritted his teeth, his amber eyes flashing angrily. _How can I become a warrior if my mentor isn't cooperating?_ He thought. He then yawned. _I guess I could use a bit of rest_. He admitted to himself. _It's no use wearing myself out._

He was about to leave when Nightstar suddenly stormed out of the undergrowth, a pinecone in her mouth. He shook his head. _Did I see that right? A pinecone…in her _mouth?

The leader caught sight of him and hurried to him, her amber eyes flashing. She mewed something along the lines of "Eeglp ge picone ot of my mouff!", but the pinecone muffled her words.

"What?"

"Eeglp ge picone ot of my mouff!"

"Huh?"

Nightstar was enraged now. _"Ge tis picone ot of my mouff!"_

Eaglepaw stifled a laugh. He obviously knew what the leader was saying, but he wanted to see her suffer a bit. With his two front paws, he grabbed the end of the pinecone and he pulled, dislodging it from the leader's mouth.

"That Heatherpaw's going to _pay_!" Nightstar spat, blood splattering on the ground.

_She's bleeding!_ Eaglepaw frowned. _Great StarClan! _Heatherpaw _did this?_

"Where is she?" The black cat hissed, her nose crinkling at the metallic taste of the blood.

"I-I don't know!" Eaglepaw mewed shakily. "You need to go see Cloverleaf!"

The leader growled. "I don't need-" She paused, whining with pain. "You're right. I'll go see her."

Eaglepaw, being the chivalrous one, mewed, "I'll go with you."

Nightstar nodded, swallowing, which Eaglepaw guessed was blood. The two cats left the training hollow and ran all the way to camp, stopping every once in a while to let Nightstar spit out some blood.

Eaglepaw put his tail on the leader's shoulder to guide her once they reached the camp entrance, but she shrugged it off, narrowing her eyes. He shrugged and padded towards the medicine cat's den, Nightstar at his heels.

"Cloverleaf!" He called and the she-cat's head poked out.

"What now, Icefang? Oh!" Cloverleaf blinked in her surprise. "Eaglepaw?"

Nightstar appeared next to him, the scent of blood causing the apprentice's nose to twitch involuntarily. It was never a scent he got used to, since battles with other Clans were rare.

"Nightstar, what happened to you? Come in, come in!" The medicine cat disappeared into her den and the cats followed.

Once they were inside, Nightstar opened her mouth to say something, but only a gargled noise came out, causing her to hack vigorously.

"Your tongue is swollen!" Cloverleaf gasped and hurriedly gathered some herbs Eaglepaw could not even possibly _begin_ to name. They were neatly stacked up on shelves carved out in the den, almost as if it was _meant_ for medicine cats to use.

Nightstar tried to speak again, but only managed to spit out some crimson-colored blood.

"Don't try to talk, it'll only get worse!" Cloverleaf mewed to her tersely and began to mix the herbs in her fast working paws.

Eaglepaw watched her work, wondering how she could possibly memorize every herb and its use. _I know _I _would be confused!_ He thought.

"Go rinse your mouth in the pool, Nightstar, while I'm getting this ready." The medicine cat mewed quickly, not even looking at the leader.

Nightstar cocked her head in confusion.

Eaglepaw sighed in exasperation. "To get rid of the blood!"

Nightstar nodded and hurried to the small pool, gathering some of the water in her bloody mouth. She winced and spit it out on the mossy floor.

"That's it! Continue doing that, it's almost ready." Cloverleaf abruptly looked at Eaglepaw. "Get those purple colored berries there by your paw for me."

Eaglepaw looked down and indeed, in a small, neat little pile, there were the berries. He rapidly gathered some in his paw and brought them to the medicine cat. She nodded thanks to him and mashed them into the mixture.

He heard Nightstar spitting out blood again and he whined. _How can Cloverleaf keep so calm?_ He thought. _I would be so nervous!_

"There!" The dark brown tabby she-cat mewed and dipped her paw into the mixture. She padded towards Nightstar. "Lick this up and chew it. It will stop the bleeding and decrease the swelling."

Nightstar looked disgusted, but she eventually licked it up from the cat's paw. She chewed it loudly, her nose crinkling and ears flattening with distaste.

Cloverleaf wiped her paw on the moss and mewed, "Now spit it out."

Nightstar did. Her bleeding had stopped, just as Cloverleaf said it would, though her mouth was still completely swollen.

"The swelling will go down with time. Now," She turned to Eaglepaw, her green eyes narrowing. "How did this happen?"

Eaglepaw shook his head. "I don't know! She just came up to me with a pinecone in her mouth!" He did not mention it was Heatherpaw who did it, but he assumed Cloverleaf would find out eventually.

"A _pinecone_?" Cloverleaf turned back to Nightstar. "You tried to eat a _pinecone_?"

Nightstar shook her head and glared at Eaglepaw, wanting him to tell the truth. If it weren't for her mouth being completely swollen, she would have said a thing or two to him.

Cloverleaf looked again at Eaglepaw. "No?"

"Seriously, Cloverleaf. I have _no_ idea."

"I expected this from a kit but from a _leader_?" Cloverleaf blinked at Nightstar.

Nightstar's hackles rose and her eyes burned angrily, but it was as if she was trying to stare down a tree.

"I suggest you rest in your den until the swelling recedes." The medicine cat told her, her voice firm. "Nightstar, after it does, tell me the truth. I want to hear it."

The leader nodded, throwing Eaglepaw a smug look. The apprentice frowned. _I wonder what Nightstar did to Heatherpaw to deserve that. _He thought. _Well, when she comes back, I know she's going to be in _big_ trouble. I tried to defend her, but I failed. Knowing her, she'll probably blame _me_ for it. _

He growled. _Where is that she-cat anyway?_ He followed Nightstar out of the medicine cat den and the black she-cat slipped inside her own den, Badgerfrost following right after. Eaglepaw had noticed the deputy standing outside Cloverleaf's den while he was in there.

Eaglepaw shrugged that off and padded towards the apprentice's den, hoping to see Heatherpaw. When he peeked inside, he found that she was not there. _Where did she run off to?_ He growled to himself.

Foxpaw and Rosepaw were the only ones there at the time. Rosepaw looked distraught for some reason, and Foxpaw looked visibly annoyed.

"Shut up, already!" The russet-red she-cat hissed.

"But I thought she was my friend!" Rosepaw whimpered.

Eaglepaw stepped inside.

"For the love of StarClan, can you please stop whining? My ears are going to bleed if you say the name 'Heatherpaw' one more time!" Foxpaw growled, lashing her tail angrily.

"But-" Rosepaw started, but she bowed her head, defeated.

Eaglepaw let out a light cough. "What happened?"

Foxpaw looked up at him. "There you go! Dump your sob story on him." She grumbled and curled up into a ball, flattening her ears.

Rosepaw flicked her tail and sighed. "It's no use now. I'm never talking to her again."

Eaglepaw padded up to her and sat down, curling his tail around his paws. "Tell me about it."

Suddenly, the white she-cat's eyes flashed. "I…can't." She hung her head once again.

The tom let out an irritated growl. _Why do she-cats have to be so mysterious?_ He thought.

"I just know Heatherpaw's the _worst _friend ever." Rosepaw hissed.

Foxpaw suddenly groaned. "Go somewhere else and talk about this! Cats are trying to sleep, you know!"

Eaglepaw cut her a sharp glare and turned back to Rosepaw. "I'm going to look for her." He stood up. "Want to come with me?"

The white cat shook her head. "Why do I want to look for her? She can_ die_ for all I care."

Eaglepaw was taken back. _Rosepaw surely didn't mean that, did she?_ He thought. _What did Heatherpaw _do_ to her? _The brown tabby tom lashed his tail. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Rosepaw. Whatever Heatherpaw did can surely be explained-"

"Stop defending her, Eaglepaw!" Rosepaw hissed. "I know you like her, but if I were you, I would take my affections to someone else, like Foxpaw."

Foxpaw let out a disgusted hiss. "Ew!" She glared at Eaglepaw, recoiling away from him.

The tom shook his head. "No. I'm going to look for her, whether you like it or not."

"Go ahead." Rosepaw let out a yawn. "I don't care what happens to her anymore. She's out of my life. Forever."

Eaglepaw blinked in surprise. _I have to find Heatherpaw and ask what happened!_ He thought. He left the apprentice's den, his head low. _I have to find her myself. It seems everyone else has forgotten about her._

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the form of Raggedstorm outside of the warrior's den, the tom washing his paws. I _can't tell her parents that she's gone. They'll go crazy! No,_ he told himself, _Eaglepaw, you have to do this alone. Think of what your father would have done._

He padded to the camp's entrance, where he saw Redfeather, Icefang and Firepaw come back from a hunting patrol, their jaws full of prey. _Brownfur would have gone after her!_ He thought.

"I thought I smelled RiverClan, Icefang." Eaglepaw heard Firepaw meowing to his mentor.

"Nonsense." The white warrior replied through a mouthful of prey. "RiverClan knows better than to intrude on our territory!" She scoffed.

Firepaw looked crestfallen. "But-"

"I didn't smell anything, Firepaw." Redfeather mewed, flicking his tail on the apprentice's shoulder. "The scent of the prey is clogging up your nose. Let's go put these in the fresh-kill pile."

Firepaw reluctantly nodded and followed the warriors.

Eaglepaw watched after them, a confused look on his face. _Firepaw scented RiverClan_? He thought. _He's one strange cat._

With that last thought, he ran out of the entrance, the forest swallowing him whole.

* * *

**Nightstar had a little pinecone episode, Rosepaw hates Heatherpaw and Firepaw knows about RiverClan, though no one believes him! What has ThunderClan come to? Stay tuned for the next chapter!**

**-Evanessence**


	14. Chapter 13

**Okay, I did a MAJOR edit. You guys were right on the RiverClan border not being next to ThunderClan (that's what happens when you don't pay attention to the map when you read the book) I kind of switched WindClan's border with RiverClan's still thinking it's the old territory. I fixed it and I replaced chapter 10 too (if you guys want to read it again, be my guest, but I only fixed the ending where Ravenstar takes Heatherpaw across the WindClan territory to the RiverClan territory.) Here's chapter 13, still in Eaglepaw's POV, but now it's edited so WindClan now borders with ThunderClan. Sorry about that!**

* * *

Chapter 13

"Heatherpaw!"

Eaglepaw sniffed around the training hollow. _She's not here_. He thought. _Her scent's gone stale._ He padded out into the forest, his ears pricked in high alert.

He gritted his teeth in frustration. _I can't find her scent! Argh, I've never been good at this. Where_ is_ she? _

_This way…_a voice whispered in his head and a sudden draft pulled him further deeper into the forest.

"Who's that?" He called out, quickly looking around. The forest was silent, except for the occasional rustling of leaves. Eaglepaw lashed his tail. "Where are you? Show yourself!"

No one answered him. The tom warily padded on, his ears flattened against his head. _Am I starting to hear voices? _He thought.

The brown tabby felt several, unusual small breezes as he walked, almost as if they were guiding him. He felt a certain tickling in his ear, as if someone was trying to whisper in his ear. He flicked them irritably.

"I'm following a blind trail." He growled. He then caught a strong scent and his heart sank. It was Heatherpaw…but also RiverClan!

He broke into a run, his heart racing. _This can't be good!_ He thought desperately. Suddenly, he felt a slight brush against him as he ran, but when he glanced at his side, no one was there.

He decided to ignore it. He pelted through the forest until he was out of breath. _I'm deep into ThunderClan territory…_he thought with a gulp. _I've never been this far before. _He then noticed a rather strong scent. A mixture of rabbits and sage grass.

_WindClan!_ He thought. _What is RiverClan doing in WindClan? And Heatherpaw's scent's here too! What's going on?_

As he stepped closer to the WindClan border, he suddenly heard a growl and a cat appeared on the other side. It was a black tom with a gray underbelly and by the look on his face; Eaglepaw can tell he was not all too happy to see him.

"What are you doing?" The tom hissed, unsheathing his claws.

"I-I'm just-"

"Thinking of crossing our border?"

Eaglepaw shook his head and hissed defiantly. "Look, I'm still on ThunderClan territory, alright?"

The tom grunted. "I know you. You're Brownfur's son, right?"

The apprentice's eyes shadowed. "Yes."

"I saw you at the gathering two moons ago." The WindClan cat mewed and narrowed his ice blue eyes. "Are you sure you aren't thinking of crossing?"

Eaglepaw suddenly got an idea. "Batwing, have you seen any RiverClan cats on your territory?"

"You _know_ about them?" Batwing hissed, lashing his tail. "An earlier patrol scented them, those swimming pieces of fox-dung."

Eaglepaw frowned. "I'm afraid they took one of our cats." _Am I jumping to conclusions?_ He questioned himself. _Heatherpaw could be anywhere_. He took a quick deep breath. _If I were ever sure about anything in my life, it would be about this. RiverClan took Heatherpaw. I know it._

"They took a ThunderClan cat?" The WindClan deputy asked incredulously. "But their territory is across the lake!"

"I know, I'm confused too!"

"How can I be sure you're not lying to me, apprentice?" Batwing growled, his eyes flashing.

Eaglepaw hissed in frustration. "You just have to trust me!"

"What do you want us to do?" The WindClan cat growled. "RiverClan is already gone."

Eaglepaw suddenly snapped. "Do you call yourself a deputy?"

"Hey-"

"We have to go after them!"

Batwing lashed his black tail. "Excuse me? You're an apprentice, in case you haven't noticed. I am a _deputy _and you have to treat me with respect! I don't have to take orders from you!"

Eaglepaw sighed in irritation. "Why don't you just take me to Graystar already?"

"Fine, I will!" Batwing hissed.

"You know if you take me, then you're technically crossing ThunderClan borders and kidnapping an apprentice."

Batwing scratched at the ground. "So? You're asking for it, mouse-brain!"

Eaglepaw dared to out a paw over the scent line.

"What are you-"

"Remember when Cloverleaf helped those…_desperate_ WindClan cats during the greencough epidemic last leaf-bare?"

Batwing was confused and his pelt stopped bristling for a second. "Huh?"

"You still owe ThunderClan for helping you."

The WindClan tom grew frustrated. "That doesn't mean anything! You're just an apprentice-"

"But I _am_ Brownfur's son, aren't I?"

Batwing gulped. "Y-yes, yes you are."

Eaglepaw smirked. _This is working!_ He thought excitedly. "I vaguely remember him telling me about that one time he saved your kits from a fox, am I correct?"

Batwing bowed his head. "He did."

"You never repaid him. He's probably looking down from StarClan and frowning because you wouldn't help his son at his greatest time of need."

Batwing sighed and suddenly shuddered. "Why are you doing this?"

"My friend was taken hostage and I want to help her!" Eaglepaw growled, his amber eyes staying level with the deputy's.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Take me to Graystar. I need WindClan's help to get Heatherpaw back."

Batwing blinked. "Very well. I won't guarantee you that Graystar will agree to this."

"I have to try. Besides, now that RiverClan has treaded on his tail, he would be glad to have his revenge."

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"No."

Eaglepaw was confused. "_What?_"

"I said no." The WindClan leader flicked his tail irritably. "Batwing, why have you brought this sniveling apprentice to beg at my paws?"

The deputy shifted uncomfortably. "I just thought we owed ThunderClan for the things they have done for us-"

Graystar shook his head. "No is no. I will _not _interfere with other Clan's problems. Especially ThunderClan's. with a leader like Nightstar, I wouldn't doubt that they have _many _problems."

"Why you selfish-"

Batwing abruptly brushed his tail on Eaglepaw's mouth before he could finish his sentence.

"We are sorry to have bothered you, Graystar." The deputy mewed respectfully. "We will leave now."

Graystar suddenly snarled. "Take him directly back to his border! I don't need other Clans padding around our territory like we are some sort of pathetic Clan that never takes care of its borders. RiverClan had already done their part and I don't need ThunderClan prancing around too!"

Batwing nodded. "I will do that immediately." Without another word, he escorted Eaglepaw out of the leader's den.

The ThunderClan apprentice hissed in frustration. "I wonder how RiverClan crept in the first time." He growled sarcastically. As they walked through the camp, he noticed the WindClan cats giving him curious stares.

"I told you there was no guarantee." Batwing sighed. "I guess ThunderClan has to fare on its own." He led him towards the entrance of the WindClan camp, his tail on the apprentice's shoulder.

"It's not fair." Eaglepaw mumbled.

"Life's not fair." Batwing mewed. Suddenly a squeal from behind him made him jump. He turned around and came face to face with a small she-cat.

"I smell ThunderClan!" She mewed excitedly.

Eaglepaw blinked in bewilderment. The cat was about six moons of age and looked as if she was freshly apprenticed. She had a black coat, just as Batwing did and she had bright, inquisitive amber eyes.

"Yes, Spiderpaw." Batwing meowed, his voice short. "This is a ThunderClan tom."

Spiderpaw turned to him and her eyes widened. "Wow! He looks just like Brownfur!"

Eaglepaw gave her a small, tight smile. "Yes. My name is Eaglepaw."

"Doesn't he look just like Brownfur, daddy?" Spiderpaw asked the deputy, her high-pitched voice making Eaglepaw's ears hurt.

Batwing sighed with impatience. "Daddy needs to go now, Spiderpaw. Go back to your mentor."

"But Darktail's busy!' The apprentice argued. "Can Brownfur stay awhile?"

"Eaglepaw." The ThunderClan tom corrected tersely.

Batwing shook his head. "No." To Eaglepaw he added, "Let's run out of here as fast as we can."

Spiderpaw suddenly jumped on Eaglepaw and he was brought to the ground with a grunt. The black apprentice let out a squeal. "Brownfur is so much fun to play with!"

Eaglepaw shook her off and got back on his four paws again. "Brownfur is dead." He growled angrily, his amber eyes blazing.

Spiderpaw looked crestfallen. "He is?"

"He died a _long_ time ago." Eaglepaw hissed.

"Why?" Spiderpaw whined, her voice growing into a wail.

Suddenly, a gray shape came into view. Graystar had padded outside is den, a frown on his face. "What is that noise?" He asked angrily, lashing his tail.

Batwing quickly shoved Eaglepaw out of the camp entrance before the leader can see him. The apprentice took the hint and pelted into the WindClan moor. Without giving his daughter another look, the deputy raced after Eaglepaw.

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**(now it's in Lostpaw's POV)**

Lostpaw could see Heatherpaw and Ravenstar out of the corner of his eye. He then looked at the sky, which turned pink with the setting sun. _It's almost twilight!_ He thought. He got up and stretched, awaking the cat sleeping next to him.

"Do you mind?" The tom grumbled.

"Sorry." Lostpaw apologized and was about to slip out of the apprentice's den when the tom spoke again.

"Where are you going?"

Lostpaw flattened his ears in frustration. "I'm just getting something to eat, Duskpaw."

Duskpaw opened one of his green eyes. "Why?"

"Because I'm _hungry_?"

The apprentice flicked his ears sleepily. "But you just ate a fish a short while ago."

"Just leave me alone." Lostpaw growled, flicking his black tail.

Duskpaw yawned. "Whatever." He then settled back to sleep, his snores echoing throughout the den.

Lostpaw shook his pelt irritably and padded away from the den, keeping his head low to keep from being easily noticed. That did not work too well, for he was the only cat in the camp besides Ravenstar and Heatherpaw.

"Where are you going, Lostpaw?" Ravenstar called out, beckoning him with her tail.

Lostpaw reluctantly padded towards her, averting his gaze from Heatherpaw. "I'm just going to make dirt, Ravenstar."

The leader frowned. "It's twilight. Don't you think you ought to be resting your paws?"

"Rest my-" Lostpaw snorted at the absurdity of the leader. "Ravenstar, I'm not a kit anymore."

Ravenstar sighed. "Fine. Go ahead."

Heatherpaw gave a small cough, making him flick his ears.

"Lostpaw, I have to tell you something-"

"Shh!" Ravenstar hissed to her. Then her amber gaze turned to the tom. "Go, Lostpaw. If you need to go, go."

Lostpaw nodded and gave Heatherpaw a quick, confused look. He then padded away from them. He swore he could hear Heatherpaw give a small whine, but he thought he had just imagined it. He slipped out of the camp, the pinkish glow of the sun helping him to arrive at the WindClan border.

He knew this was the quickest route to ThunderClan and he knew WindClan was lazy into their border patrols. He delicately stepped onto the territory, his ears flicking forward in alert. He could scent a WindClan cat nearby and he immediately dropped down on his haunches in a hunting crouch.

The cat must have left, for the scent disappeared just as quickly as it came. He continued to walk, though more wary this time. He knew the fastest way to go to ThunderClan was around the large lake that separated all their territories, but he knew he would have been easily seen that way.

He always trekked through the most forested part of WindClan, which was not much, just a small strip, but it gave him enough to make an easy and safe journey to see Rosepaw.

At the thought of her, his heart lifted in joy. She was the she-cat of his dreams! He knew they were only apprentices and that their love was strictly forbidden, but all of that was numbed by the way she made him feel. A feeling no one else can provide in RiverClan. Love.

As he approached the ThunderClan border, he felt a certain feeling crawl up his spine. He was being watched. He whirled around, his fangs bared. The forest was quiet, much to his frustration. He stepped closer to the border, where a particularly tall tree towered over the rest. The ThunderClan cats used that as one of their landmarks, but they have not bothered to give it a name, so Rosepaw and Lostpaw affectionately gave it a name. The Lost Tree, after the RiverClan tom. It was agreed between them that the Lost Tree was their meeting spot.

"Who's there?" Lostpaw dared to say, his voice coming out as a squeak. He crossed the ThunderClan border, just incase it was a WindClan warrior. Then he relaxed. _It could be Rosepaw!_ He thought excitedly.

"I see we have a little RiverClan rat here."

Lostpaw whirled around, his blue eyes flashing angrily. It was the ThunderClan deputy, Badgerfrost, along with a gray warrior Lostpaw only knew by name, Raggedstorm, and a russet-red she-cat he had seen at a gathering one time. ThunderClan cats, but not the one Lostpaw was looking for."

"Lostpaw, you're the last cat I'd expect to see here." Badgerfrost growled, his tail lashing angrily.

Lostpaw's gaze hardened. "You're not taking me to ThunderClan."

Badgerfrost snorted. "I have to. You're trespassing." He then unsheathed his claws with a click and the other cats copied him. "Unless you want this to turn into a needless border fight."

The RiverClan apprentice flattened his ears aggressively. "Do you know who my _mother_ is?"

"We know who your mother is, you kit!" The russet-red she-cat suddenly sneered, but Badgerfrost hissed at her, making her reluctantly close her jaws.

"Foxpaw! You should know better than to talk out!"

Lostpaw looked at her curiously. She seemed old enough to be a warrior already, though she certainly did not act like it_. Her mentor must be Badgerfrost_. He thought.

"I can't _wait _until I'm a warrior!" The ThunderClan apprentice hissed.

"Then too bad, because you will have to wait a few more moons if you keep acting like that." Badgerfrost mewed icily and turned back to Lostpaw.

He could hear Foxpaw give an enraged shriek before he focused back at Badgerfrost again.

"Nightstar is in a critical condition right now, so I'm temporarily taking her place." The deputy meowed to him.

Lostpaw's ears flicked forward. _Nightstar is sick?_

"I always knew RiverClan was stealing prey." Raggedstorm suddenly growled.

"Raggedstorm, this is just an apprentice. I hope he isn't stealing prey." Badgerfrost's eyes flicked back towards Lostpaw.

He shook his head vigorously. "N-no, Badgerfrost."

The deputy's black paws flexed, sheathing and unsheathing his paws, as if he was contemplating whether to attack the apprentice or not. Instead, he asked a question. "What are you doing here all the way from RiverClan?"

Lostpaw blinked and he opened his mouth, his words flowing out perfectly just like he had rehearsed it before. "Ravenstar has a message for Nightstar. She asked me to deliver it, I-"

"Tell me." Badgerfrost growled.

"But-"

"I'm leader…for now. Tell me or we'll attack."

The cats beside him shifted restlessly, as if they were itching to get their paws into some black RiverClan fur.

"Uh-" Lostpaw gulped. "River-uh, RiverClan-"

"Just what I had thought." The deputy growled. "A little liar, aren't you? Just like your mother."

Lostpaw hissed in defiance. "My mother is not a liar!"

Before Badgerfrost can reply, a rustle sounded and all of the cats flicked their ears to listen.

A black tom slipped out of the undergrowth, followed by a smaller, brown tabby apprentice. Suddenly, the apprentice screeched and tackled Lostpaw.

"You know where she is!" the tabby tom hissed angrily into Lostpaw's ear. "Tell me!"

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**Cliffhanger again! I'm going to be on a short three-day break, so no updates until then. R&R, though!**

**-Evanessence**


	15. Chapter 14

**Everyone, thanks for reviewing! Makes me feel so proud of myself! XD Here's chapter 14 for you all and guess what…Swiftpaw's in it!**

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Chapter 14

Heatherpaw saw Lostpaw pad out of the entrance and her heart sank. _He's going to be furious when he finds out Rosepaw isn't there to meet him!_ She thought.

"He's going to be a fine warrior." Ravenstar sighed, a dreamy look coming to her eyes.

Heatherpaw decided she would play along. "Who? Lostpaw?"

Ravenstar nodded. "He's perfect."

The ThunderClan she-cat snorted. "No one's perfect, Ravenstar."

The leader snarled. "Lostpaw's perfect, I know he is!"

Heatherpaw chose to keep quiet. _If you really knew Lostpaw, Ravenstar, _she felt like saying, _you could hardly call him perfect._

"I believe in Lostpaw. Spottedfur is a good mentor and I think I made the right choice in whom to mentor him."

Heatherpaw watched the sun slowly set and she felt her stomach give a hungry growl. _I haven't eaten since…I can't remember!_ She thought.

"Hungry?" Ravenstar asked, a glint forming in her amber eyes.

Heatherpaw nodded.

"Well, here we don't have your squirrels or sparrows. We have fish."

Heatherpaw's stomach did a backflip. _If there was anything worse than fish, _she thought, _it would be fox dung. I _hate _fish!_

Ravenstar saw the look of disgust run across the apprentice's face and she smiled. "It's either fish or starvation. Take your pick."

Heatherpaw would have never thought she would say this, but she mewed, "I…I want the fish."

"Good!" Ravenstar purred. "Now you'll see how RiverClan's prey is much better than ThunderClan's!"

_I highly doubt that…_Heatherpaw thought and she got up, her paws shaky from being in one spot for so long. She weakly padded over to the fresh-kill pile, which composed of only fish.

"Our warriors don't like catching anything else," Ravenstar explained, "sure we have mice and squirrels, but we prefer fish. It's what gives us our great coat." She licked her silky, black shoulder as if to prove her point. "Nightstar can't understand that, unfortunately. Why would she think we'd steal her precious prey? We have enough."

Heatherpaw flattened her ears to block out Ravenstar's endless ranting. She eventually chose a rather small, silver fish and she almost gagged at the scent that flooded her nostrils.

Ravenstar let out an amused purr. "You'll get used to it, sweetie."

_I don't think I ever will!_ Heatherpaw thought and she opened her mouth, but something stopped her from eating. That scent…she recognized from somewhere…

"Go on." Ravenstar urged her.

The light brown tabby she-cat growled. "Is this poisoned?" She asked, pushing it away with a paw.

Ravenstar was confused. "Of course not!" She exclaimed, looking at the fish. "Why would it be?"

"I don't trust you, that's why." Heatherpaw retorted, lashing her tail.

"Look, I'll try a bite myself!" Ravenstar shoved her away and bent down to take a bite out of the fish.

"Ravenstar, I wouldn't try that if I were you-"

"Nonsense!" The leader took a bite and immediately she gagged, white foam developing in mouth. Her amber eyes dilated and she started to thrash around.

Heatherpaw backed away, knowing that the fish had deathberries stored in them. She had caught a brief scent of it while it was in her mouth, and she had recognized it from Cloverleaf's den. The medicine cat has them 'just in case'.

Ravenstar let out a stifled moan and she collapsed, her body twitching violently.

Heatherpaw gritted her teeth. She could not help the leader; since she was not a medicine cat. However, she knew Jaggedtooth, the RiverClan's medicine cat, can help Ravenstar.

Before she could open her mouth to call out the tom's name, another voice was faster.

"Jaggedtooth!" It was Shadeclaw. He pelted towards Ravenstar, not even bothering to look at Heatherpaw.

The dark gray medicine cat ran out of his den, his eyes searching around frantically. "W-what?"

The RiverClan warrior let out a wail. "Ravenstar's dying!"

"What?" Jaggedtooth hurried to the leader, who was now foaming violently, her body thrashing again in spasmodic jerks. "She ate deathberries!" He cried, immediately starting to push on the she-cat's flank, causing her to spit up remnants of the red berries.

Heatherpaw noticed Shadeclaw's eyes drift to her and she bolted straight out of the RiverClan camp, her heart thudding against her ribcage. _Run, just run, Heatherpaw!_ She thought. _They can't follow you! They're too busy with Ravenstar!_

"She killed Ravenstar!" She heard Shadeclaw cry, but it was too late, she was already out of earshot. She ran faster than she'd ever thought a ThunderClan cat could run. RiverClan's marshy, soft ground made it a bit difficult for her, but she was soon out of the RiverClan marsh and into WindClan's wind-swept moors. She had escaped!

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Her paws throbbed and she slowed down to a trot, her jaws open in a dog-like pant. Suddenly, she felt a draft and she saw Swiftpaw appear trotting right alongside her.

"In WindClan territory again?" The tom asked casually. "You know, all this WindClan territory makes me feel like a WindClan cat!"

"Swiftpaw!" Heatherpaw gasped. "Ravenstar, I couldn't stop her-"

"I know." The tom's face suddenly grew solemn. "It wasn't your fault. You tried to warn her."

"How could you know?" The ThunderClan apprentice asked him. "You weren't there."

Swiftpaw looked thoughtful for a moment and he looked down at his paws. "You may not see me, Heatherpaw, but I'm always with you."

Heatherpaw blinked in confusion, but she kept walking, ears flicked forward in alert for WindClan patrols.

"I'm just like StarClan…in a way." Swiftpaw passed right through a tree without batting an eye. "At the same time, I'm _not _StarClan. It's complicated."

Heatherpaw shut her eyes for a moment before meowing, "I think I might have started a war between the Clans."

Swiftpaw smiled, much to her surprise.

"What are you smiling about? They think I killed the RiverClan leader!"

"Don't worry; Ravenstar has plenty of lives left."

Heatherpaw wanted to hit herself for being so ignorant. "Right. I forgot about that."

Swiftpaw suddenly sighed. "I had sent a cat after you, but-"

"What?" Heatherpaw asked, incredulous. "What do you mean?"

"I figured you needed to be rescued, but it seemed fate has done that for you." The black and white tom flicked his tail.

"But how did you do it?"

"Simple. I just used the old 'whispering winds' technique. Many StarClan cats use it."

Heatherpaw did not want to ask about that. _Must be some dead cat thing…_she thought. "Who did you send?" She asked.

"A rather peculiar tom. I-"

"Not Firepaw!" She groaned.

Swiftpaw shook his head. "No, no. Eaglepaw, I believe was his name."

Heatherpaw almost tripped over her paws in surprise. "What? Why _him_?"

Swiftpaw shrugged. "He just seemed so concerned about you. He wanted to find you, actually."

Heatherpaw managed to smile. "Really?" _Eaglepaw did that…for _me_?_ She thought.

The dead tom nodded. "I just helped him along."

Heatherpaw looked around the WindClan moor, where she saw the outline of a rabbit running and a cat chasing after it. She flattened herself against the shade of the surrounding trees. "WindClan cats!" She hissed.

"That cat's too busy hunting to notice you." Swiftpaw assured her. "WindClan has also gotten lazy on their border patrols, I have noticed. When I was around, borders were watched over carefully."

Heatherpaw relaxed the tiniest bit. She decided to keep walking and soon they were well on their way. "Why isn't Eaglepaw here?" She asked him once the hunting cat was well behind them.

Swiftpaw frowned. "I don't really know."

"But I thought you knew _everything_."

Swiftpaw smirked. "A smart apprentice, aren't you? No. I don't know _everything_."

Heatherpaw suddenly grew anxious. "Maybe a WindClan cat got him, or RiverClan-" She stopped when Swiftpaw chuckled.

"I never knew you were so concerned about him."

Heatherpaw flattened her ears in embarrassment. "I'm not." She mumbled.

Swiftpaw suddenly stopped, his amber eyes narrowing.

"What?" Heatherpaw stared at him, her head cocked to the side in confusion. She looked around, but she only saw the edge of the WindClan territory. They were soon arriving at ThunderClan!

The tom abruptly disappeared, leaving her alone.

Suddenly, a hiss erupted from the border and Heatherpaw's pelt bristled with fear. She then heard some yowling and she leaped through the undergrowth when she realized it was Eaglepaw.

"She's right there!" A voice hissed as she stepped into clear view. Two cats were fighting at the ThunderClan border. Eaglepaw had Lostpaw pinned down by the chest. Lostpaw was the one yowling, the black tom writhing around under the bigger tom's paws. "Now get off me!"

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**Heh, Heatherpaw's gotten into pretty big trouble here. E&E!**

**-Evanessence**


	16. Chapter 15

**oOoForgottensongoOo- I might have not said cliffhanger, but it**_** was**_** one! Here, I'll make up for it. CLIFFHANGER!**

**Glitterpaw of ThunderClan- E&E stands for 'Enjoy and Evaluate'. It's another form of R&R (I was getting tired of it.) You are very good at guessing what will happen next, but I can't tell you if they're right or not! ;)**

**Bloodfang therandomflockmember- Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad you like it.**

**Nightclaw- It **_**is**_** an author's best friend. That's why I use them. A lot. **

**Rileigh A. Jones- Ravenstar deserved the little berry attack. XD **

**Evershine- Maybe, maybe not. I can't give that away! ;)**

**Owlreader- Thanks!**

**Thanks everyone for reviewing!**

**This chapter is interesting and there are several good cliffies for you all to enjoy! XD**

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Chapter 15

"Heatherpaw?" Eaglepaw released Lostpaw and the RiverClan apprentice gasped as he took a breath.

"Great StarClan! Are you sure you aren't a warrior?" Lostpaw got up and shook his pelt, sending dirt particles around him.

It was then when Heatherpaw noticed the other cats around her. Batwing, the WindClan deputy, was right next to her, his head tipped to the side. The rest of the cats were from ThunderClan. Badgerfrost, to her immediate disappointment, her father and Foxpaw. _Why Foxpaw?_ She thought angrily.

"You…you were the one Eaglepaw was looking for?" Batwing asked, stepping forward.

Heatherpaw nodded.

"And you crossed WindClan territory…again? Without getting caught?"

Heatherpaw again nodded.

Batwing looked frustrated. "I have to report this to Graystar. Our territory isn't being respected!" He snarled at Heatherpaw, but she gingerly crossed the ThunderClan border before he could act.

The deputy quickly disappeared through the undergrowth and into his own territory.

"Great StarClan, what happened to your face?" Foxpaw shoved her way to the front of the group, her jaw agape.

"Nothing, Foxpaw!" Heatherpaw defended herself.

"We have to get back to camp." Badgerfrost growled.

Lostpaw crept towards the WindClan territory, his body low. "Well, I guess I will be going now…"

Suddenly, Badgerfrost tackled him and the two cats wrestled briefly, before Badgerfrost had the apprentice pinned down with a paw, just as Eaglepaw had him just a moment before.

"You're not going anywhere." The ThunderClan deputy hissed. "Unlike WindClan, ThunderClan _cares_ about their borders."

Lostpaw let out an angry growl. "Ravenstar is going to kill you if she finds out you took me prisoner."

Heatherpaw shifted uncomfortably. "Uh…about that…" She started to mumble but Eaglepaw suddenly hissed at Lostpaw.

"Your leader took Heatherpaw prisoner too, so it's not if we're doing anything out of place, _Lostpaw_."

The RiverClan apprentice frowned and spat at Badgerfrost. "You're crushing me!"

The deputy smiled crookedly. "Good."

Raggedstorm, who had been icily quiet all this time, growled, "I'll guard him, Badgerfrost. You can let him go."

Badgerfrost nodded and the white tom let the apprentice go.

Lostpaw gasped as the deputy's massive black paws were lifted off his chest. "That's two times today!" He hissed and got up. Raggedstorm immediately positioned himself next to him, the gray tom's steely amber eyes indifferent, as if he did this every day.

Badgerfrost then turned to Heatherpaw, his amber eyes narrowed. "As for you," he then flicked his tail to Eaglepaw, "and you too, you both will report to Nightstar's den. After what happened today, I expect she would want to…_talk_ to you."

Eaglepaw suddenly let out a snicker. "If she _can_."

Foxpaw snarled at Heatherpaw. "It was your fault, you know."

"What?" The tabby she-cat was confused. "_What_ was my fault?"

"The pinecone," Eaglepaw mewed, "in Nightstar's mouth, remember?"

"Oh, that." Heatherpaw shivered. _She must be furious with me!_ She thought and sighed. _I probably won't be a warrior until I'm _her _age!_

Badgerfrost cleared his throat. "Let's not waste anymore time. Let's go." He then started to lead the cats deeper into the ThunderClan territory.

"You can't take me!" Lostpaw spat as he was being shoved forward by Raggedstorm. "You will regret this!"

Heatherpaw felt a pang of pity for him, but it quickly iced over. _I was in this same situation,_ she thought, _but he didn't even bother to help me. All he was concerned about was Rosepaw. Argh! What kind of friend is he? Now, I'm not going to help him. He's going to see his Rosepaw, alright, but this time from a different perspective._

She suddenly felt like hitting herself. _I'm acting just like Ravenstar!_ She thought._ I don't want to be like her!_

Eaglepaw brushed against her, much to her surprise. "Where were you, really?" He whispered in her ear. "I won't tell anyone, I promise."

Heatherpaw closed her eyes. "Ravenstar really took me hostage." She mewed softly.

Eaglepaw looked at his paws, watching them move back and forth with every step he took. "I knew it." He growled.

"Thanks for trying to rescue me." Heatherpaw whispered to him.

Eaglepaw smiled. "I would've made it, but Batwing caught me. He took me to Graystar. I even asked for WindClan's help, can you believe that?"

The she-cat chuckled. "Knowing you, I probably can."

"But that selfish leader never even considered it." Eaglepaw sighed heavily.

Heatherpaw growled. "What's wrong with leaders these days?" She mumbled, lashing her tail.

The brown tabby tom shrugged. "Who knows? I'm expecting Snakestar to pop out any second and declare war against ThunderClan for no reason."

Heatherpaw forced herself to smile. _I might have started a war already. _She thought grimly.

"Turn here." Badgerfrost growled and the group followed him. They were near the place where Heatherpaw had shoved Rosepaw into a stream. The she-cat flattened her ears at the recent memory.

"How did you manage to escape Ravenstar?" Eaglepaw asked her, his amber eyes alight with curiosity. "I bet you had to fight your way out."

Heatherpaw shook her tabby head. "It's a long story, actually."

"I want to hear it later." The tom mewed, smiling.

Heatherpaw once again forced herself to smile back. _Maybe there won't _be_ a later_…she thought.

"Okay." Was all she could manage to say before the cats arrived at the ThunderClan camp. She was about to cross through the entrance before Badgerfrost got in her way.

"Report directly to Nightstar's den." The deputy growled, glancing at Eaglepaw, who stepped up beside her.

The apprentice was confused. "Me too?"

Badgerfrost nodded. "You both were trespassing WindClan's territory. You're lucky you didn't get attacked by a patrol."

"I almost did. Batwing-" Eaglepaw meowed, but suddenly a screech echoed through the camp, cutting off the rest of his words.

Nightstar stormed towards them, her tail lashing and claws unsheathed. She stopped right in front of Heatherpaw and her eyes narrowed dangerously.

Heatherpaw noticed the leader's inability to talk and she smiled inwardly. _Now she can't nag me!_ She thought. _Let's hope it stays this way for a long while._

The black leader looked as if she was about to claw Heatherpaw before she noticed Lostpaw. She smiled wickedly and limped towards him, the RiverClan tom cringing backwards into Raggedstorm. Nightstar caught Raggedstorm's amber gaze and she pointed to the middle of the camp. The gray tom nodded that he understood and he shoved the whining Lostpaw to the middle of the camp, sitting beside him to guard him.

Nightstar then turned to Heatherpaw again and her smile disappeared. She scowled and lashed her tail. She pointed to her den with her muzzle.

Heatherpaw did not know what the leader was going to do to her if she was not able to talk, but she reluctantly followed, her head low. When she passed by Foxpaw, she heard the she-cat snigger, "You're in for it now, _Splotchface_, heh-heh."

The light brown tabby she-cat flattened her ears and ignored her, but she didn't ignore the fact Eaglepaw hissed at the russet-red apprentice, earning him a cuff from Badgerfrost.

"Keep moving!" The deputy growled to him. "I would have never thought you were a troublemaker, Eaglepaw. I thought you were just like your father."

"I am_ not_ my father!" The brown tabby tom growled irritably.

Nightstar padded ahead of Heatherpaw and flicked her tail before slipping into her den. Eaglepaw was quickly shoved into the den, followed by Badgerfrost. Heatherpaw lagged behind, but the deputy shoved her in also. Before her head was through the lichen, she saw Rosepaw poke her head out of the apprentice den and pad towards Lostpaw.

_I hope she doesn't do anything stupid. _Heatherpaw thought. She padded deeper inside the den, following Badgerfrost's white tail. When she stopped, she had to narrow her eyes in order to see through the dim light. She never knew the leader's den ran this deep into the cliff face that made up the protective barrier of the ThunderClan camp.

She spotted Nightstar's faint outline in front of her. She felt Badgerfrost move away from them and Eaglepaw's pelt brush closer to hers, almost as if he was trying to comfort her.

_Nightstar can't do anything to us,_ she thought_, she can't talk_. Then she saw the glimmer of the leader's white teeth reflect eerily on what little light the den had. For once in her life, Heatherpaw was scared. She heard the soft click of claws unsheathing and her pelt started to bristle.

Eaglepaw suddenly gasped and then…there was a loud crunch.

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_I can't _believe_ she took me prisoner…_Lostpaw fumed as he sat next to Raggedstorm. The gray tom was watching him, but his eyes were slowly closing and then abruptly opening again. _He's tired._ The RiverClan tom thought. _I could slip away from him easily._

But that's when he saw Rosepaw. She was slipped outside of the apprentice's den. It seems she has spotted him, for her pelt started to bristle.

_Rosepaw!_ Lostpaw thought. _She was here all along! Heatherpaw never delivered my message!_ His blue eyes shot towards the leader's den where he last saw the she-cat. Inside his body, he felt pure fury boil. _I can't believe she betrayed me!_ He thought and then his gaze turned back to Rosepaw. She was staring at him, her expression one of confusion and worry.

Raggedstorm saw that the apprentice was staring and he coughed. "What do you need, Rosepaw?" He asked.

The she-cat was startled and her green eyes flashed. "Uh…a RiverClan cat! We have to get him…uh…"

Lostpaw wanted to hit himself. _She's not very good at lying!_ He thought angrily.

"I'm already keeping him prisoner, Rosepaw." Raggedstorm shook his head to shake away his sleepiness.

The white she-cat dared to edge closer to them. "You look tired, Raggedstorm. Let me take care of him for a while."

Raggedstorm shook his head once again. "No, I am fine. Go away."

Rosepaw looked indignant, and Lostpaw smiled. That's_ the Rosepaw I know_. He thought happily.

"Are you saying I can't do a better job than a half-asleep warrior?" She growled, lashing her tail.

_That's taking it too far…_Lostpaw thought, his heart sinking with dread.

Raggedstorm's amber eyes flashed. "Badgerfrost ordered me to guard him, Rosepaw. Unless you have orders from him, I'm staying put."

Lostpaw saw her bright green eyes flick to meet his blue eyes and he shrugged. _What else can she do? _He asked himself.

"Now go away, Rosepaw," Raggedstorm was drawling out, his deep voice laced heavily with tiredness, "or you will go straight to Nightstar just like Heatherpaw and Eaglepaw."

Rosepaw's expression turned fearful. "What happened to them?" She asked.

Raggedstorm did not answer, but just kept glaring at her.

Before any cat could act, a loud yowl echoed through the camp and a horde a cats burst through the entrance. Lostpaw's heart lifted when he saw Ravenstar and Spottedfur and about seven other RiverClan cats storm through the camp, their teeth bared aggressively.

Lostpaw felt Raggedstorm shove him towards the ground and then he felt his big paw press in his back, keeping him in place. He heard Rosepaw give a frightened shriek and she slipped back inside the apprentice's den.

The RiverClan leader stalked towards Raggedstorm, her amber eyes flashing dangerously. Spottedfur followed her; the deputy's spotted fur blending in with the receding sunset.

Ravenstar looked at the RiverClan apprentice pinned under the gray tom's paws and she snarled angrily.

"Let go of my son!"

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**BIG cliffhanger!! I expect a lot of reviews out of this chapter!**

…**please?**

**-Evanessence**


	17. Chapter 16

**Sorry for the long wait, everyone! I had a major writer's block on this story, but...I guess I got over it pretty well. I hope you can understand Nightstar's...well, language in this chapter! Thanks for being, er, patient! Enjoy chapter 16!**

**-Evanessence**

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Chapter 16

Rosepaw started to back away, her white fur bristling in fear. The RiverClan leader was glaring at Raggedstorm as though the tom had killed Lostpaw already.

"I will not!" The gray tom growled boldly.

Rosepaw looked at the small black RiverClan apprentice underneath Raggedstorm's paws and her green eyes flashed. _He never told me his mother was the _RiverClanleader_!_

Lostpaw was staring back at his mother, his blue eyes pleading with her.

Ravenstar let out an infuriated hiss. "I'm so sick of your Clan! Now let go of my son or I will have to do it for you!" The black cat unsheathed her claws.

Raggedstorm's yellow eyes narrowed. "You RiverClan cats are so arrogant!"

"I can say the same for ThunderClanners like you!" Ravenstar spat back. "Just take a look at your _leader_!"

Lostpaw felt the gray tom's claws unsheathe and he gasped as he felt the points of the claws cut into his skin.

"Don't you _dare_ hurt him!" Ravenstar hissed at Raggedstorm, her voice low with fury.

Suddenly, a loud caterwaul erupted from the warrior's den and a streak of white flashed past Rosepaw's eyes. She felt the wind being knocked out of her as a cat barreled into her. She heard Lostpaw give a cry and she felt teeth close in her throat.

"_Icefang_! What are you _doing_?" Redfeather shoved the senior warrior off the apprentice before her teeth can snap Rosepaw's neck in two. Icefang stumbled around, her ice blue eyes clouded and hazy.

Rosepaw shakily stood up, her heart racing and her back arched in fear.

Icefang must have not noticed what was going on, for she ignored the seven or so RiverClan warriors that surrounded the ThunderClan camp. "Where's my fresh-kill?" She suddenly yowled, glaring at Redfeather.

Redfeather cocked his head to the side in clear confusion. "Huh?"

"I told you to get me a plump mouse, you twit!"

The russet-red tom's amber eyes flashed indignantly. "Icefang, you never told me-"

"Good for nothing warrior!" The white she-cat stormed back into the warrior's den, her tail lashing behind her.

Rosepaw stared after the she-cat, her breathing rapid and inconsistent. She decided not to linger on the fact a member of her own Clan attacked her for no reason and focus back on the RiverClan cats.

Redfeather let out a hiss as he registered the current situation. "An ambush!" He then barreled into the nearest RiverClan warrior. It was Shadeclaw, who had been standing next to Spottedfur. Almost suddenly, the RiverClan cats started to attack the surrounding ThunderClan cats in a mass of screeches and hisses.

While all of this was going on, Ravenstar snarled at Raggedstorm and reared on her two hind legs. "I suppose we have to do this the hard way!" She jumped on the ThunderClan tom, knocking the wind out of him. Lostpaw slithered out of the tom's grasp and pelted towards Rosepaw, who was staring dumbfoundedly at the fighting cats in front of her. Redfeather and Shadeclaw were locked in battle, their claws and teeth tearing at each other's fur.

Lostpaw shoved Rosepaw away from them. The white she-cat backed away from him, her bright green eyes blazing.

"What are you doing?" She hissed to him, her teeth bared.

"We have to get out of here!" The RiverClan apprentice growled, his voice high-pitched in his fear. "This could get very ugly!"

Rosepaw pushed him away. "Lostpaw, you lied to me!"

The tom was confused. "What do you mean?"

Rosepaw snapped at him, causing him to jump back in sheer surprise. "You never told me Ravenstar was your mother!"

Lostpaw ducked, narrowly missing Rosepaw's claw. "I don't like to talk about her!" He snarled. "Why are you attacking me?"

Rosepaw's voice suddenly drew into a whisper. "I have to look like I'm loyal to my Clan and fighting with them. Play along, will you?"

Lostpaw gave her a small nod, understanding her.

She suddenly barreled into him, her paws digging into his stomach as they rolled around in the ground. She snarled and swiped a claw at him, but the RiverClan tom was faster and he nipped at her ear, almost coyly.

"What are you doing?" Rosepaw hissed breathlessly, glaring into his blue eyes as he rolled on top of her stomach.

"While we're here together, I might as well get close to you." Lostpaw let out a purr and brushed his flank against her stomach. "You worried me when that warrior attacked you, you know!"

"Ugh, you sick cat!" She yowled loudly, but secretly she was enjoying it. She returned his gesture with a quick lick to his nose as she placed her hind legs on his stomach. She pushed and sent the tom rolling away from her.

Lostpaw landed in the dust at the paws of Hazelstorm, a light brown she-cat with an abnormally long tail. The RiverClan she-cat let out a surprised hiss when she saw the apprentice and she looked up at Rosepaw.

The ThunderClan apprentice let out a terrified squeak as the much bigger warrior lunged at her, this time her claws were unsheathed, unlike Lostpaw's.

Time seemed to slow down as Rosepaw's paws scrabbled vainly against the dirt-worn floor, her white coat turning brown as the dust whirled around her. The screeching cats in the background were drowned out as her blood pounded in her ears as she hurried to get away. She did not know how, but somehow Hazelstorm missed her and was rolling on the floor, hurling blood-curling insults at her. With a gasp, Rosepaw realized that a black pelt mingled with the dirty brown coat of the RiverClan she-cat.

"Lostpaw?" Hazelstorm shrieked angrily, writhing around in the apprentice's tight grasp. The tom had her in his jaw, which were closed tightly on her scruff.

Rosepaw's mind whirled. The adrenaline was still coursing through her veins and her breathing continued to be agonizingly shallow with fear. She opened her mouth to say something, but Lostpaw interrupted her with a swift yowl.

"Go!" Under his grip, Hazelstorm became increasingly annoying, her thrashing about sending the apprentice jerking around the ground, quickly turning his black coat tan colored.

"But-"

Lostpaw abruptly let go of the warrior's scruff and quickly shoved Rosepaw out of her way. The white ThunderClan apprentice had no other choice but to run out of camp. Lostpaw followed her closely, his black tail disappearing through the tunneled entrance.

Before Lostpaw was out of earshot, he heard the ominous yowl of Hazelstorm.

"_Traitor_!"

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Heatherpaw cringed, expecting the worst. Through the darkness of the den, she could not tell if Eaglepaw had been hurt, but she was prepared for it. She could hear Nightstar's heavy breathing and the tom's whimpering, but something told her it was not because of pain.

Badgerfrost, who had been silent for the longest time, let out a grunt. He stepped back, revealing a pile of crushed mouse bones. "Stupid bones," he growled, "you should be more neat, Nightstar."

Heatherpaw let out a sigh of relief. She heard the leader give a growl and some incomprehensible sounds. She once again felt Eaglepaw's pelt brush comfortingly against hers and she gave a small purr to show her appreciation.

"That was a close one," he breathed in her ear, "I thought she had me for sure."

"Our leader can't do that to us…can she?"

Eaglepaw did not reply, so she guessed he did not have an answer for her. Suddenly, she felt a sickening feeling crawl through her stomach as Nightstar shuffled forward. Her claws reflected in the dim light and Heatherpaw could have sworn they were tainted with blood.

_I remember she gave Ravenstar that awful scar with them…_the apprentice thought, her heart racing in fear. _She could do it again…_

Suddenly she heard yowls erupt from inside the camp. Since the den was so deep inside the gorge wall, the sound was faint, but Heatherpaw was sure they were cat yowls…and they sounded angry. _Oh no…_she thought, _what have I done?_ _That must be RiverClan, looking for revenge!_

Badgerfrost shifted nervously. "Uh, Nightstar, I think there's trouble-"

"Nonshense." The leader's word came out so garbled that Heatherpaw had to think twice to understand it.

Badgerfrost looked confused and his muscles were tense and ready to run. "What do you mean? I hear it, don't you?"

The caterwauling continued as Nightstar replied, "ish ofnly de elders complaynin agaihn."

"The swelling must be going down, Nightstar," the deputy replied to her, his voice sounding tense and nervous, "you can talk."

"Barely," Eaglepaw sniggered.

Nightstar cut him a sharp glare before turning to Badgerfrost again. "Tell de elders to shuft up, for ShtarClam's sake."

Badgerfrost blinked. "ShtarClam?"

"Jush go, you idiot!"

Without another word the deputy raced out of the den, his white tail quickly darting out of sight.

Nightstar crept up on the two apprentices, her amber eyes flashing wickedly. "I amf not done witsh you two."

"I'm sorry," Eaglepaw mewed curtly, "I'm afraid we can't understand a word you are saying."

Heatherpaw looked at him strangely. She knew he was doing this to impress her, but he was going _way_ too far on that comment. She saw he had made a mistake when the leader's eyes lit up in her fury.

"You dare diftreshpect me, you apprentish?"

"What's an apprentish?" Eaglepaw asked innocently, turning to Heatherpaw.

The light brown tabby apprentice was tight-lipped and was aware the leader's eyes scorching her fur. She decided not to reply. Her life might be at stake.

Something in Heatherpaw's face must have clicked for Eaglepaw's ears flattened and his whiskers drooped. He then turned to the furious Nightstar and smiled sweetly.

"I apologize." He then bowed his head respectfully. Suddenly, Nightstar cuffed him so hard he fell to the ground. She was about to leap at him when a shadow appeared in the dim light.

"Nightstar!" Badgerfrost gasped, his voice hoarse. "There…there is a battle! RiverClan has ambushed us!"

The leader's attention quickly turned away from the cowering apprentice to the deputy. "Fwhat did you say?"

"RiverClan is here!" The black and white tom repeated.

"Ravenshtar!" Nightstar hissed, her voice shrill and squeaky. She glared at bother Heatherpaw and Eaglepaw, her amber eyes like two pieces of flint. "Shtay here. I will deal witsh you later." She bounded out of the den, Badgerfrost at her heels.

"Oh, no!" Heatherpaw wailed and curled into a ball, wanting to die. _StarClan, please take me now!_ She pleaded and closed her eyes.


	18. Chapter 17

**103 reviews? Wow, that was more than I would ever expect from this fic! Thanks for reviewing you guys, I can't say it enough. Here's chapter 17, a Swiftpaw chapter (finally!)**

**-Evanessence**

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Chapter 17

"Just keep running, Rosepaw!"

The she-cat knew they were in trouble. Not just trouble,_ big_ trouble. She knew running away from a fight will only result in disastrous consequences, but all she cared for now was she was with her love, Lostpaw. The tom was running alongside her through the ThunderClan territory. They did not know where they were going, but they knew they had to get out of that battle, and fast.

They finally stopped at a clearing somewhere near the WindClan border. It was already dark and Rosepaw felt uneasy being around there, but with Lostpaw at her side, she felt like she could conquer any fear. She heard Lostpaw give a breathless purr and lick her ear.

"That was close," he breathed in her ear, "we could've been caught…"

Rosepaw suddenly backed away from him, her pelt bristling. "That's right! We could've been caught! What were you doing here on ThunderClan territory? We didn't arrange any meeting-"

"Yes we did!" Lostpaw argued.

"When? I didn't hear about it."

Lostpaw's blue eyes suddenly flared up in anger. "Heatherpaw didn't tell you?"

Rosepaw looked dumbfounded. "Uh, she knew?"

"I told her at the gathering to tell you to meet me here at twilight today."

Rosepaw's hatred of her former friend grew. "That she-cat never told me anything! What kind of a friend is she?"

"Not a good one, apparently." Lostpaw sighed and sat down. "Can we rest here for a bit…you know, before I go back to my own territory?"

"But, Lostpaw," Rosepaw argued, "there's a battle going on. If RiverClan sees you back unscathed, what would they say?"

"My mother wouldn't want me to get hurt anyways," Lostpaw mewed, "and besides, this battle is nothing. As soon as Ravenstar find out I'm gone, the fight will stop. She knows I can take of myself…hopefully."

Rosepaw flicked her ears. "I don't know about that, Lostpaw." She sat down next to him and purred. "I'm glad you're here with me, though."

Lostpaw smiled. "If I could, I would be here with you forever."

The white she-cat shuffled her forepaws in embarrassment. "Stupid Clan boundaries. Why can't we just get along?"

Lostpaw shrugged. "It's been that way for many moons, Rosepaw. I think it's a little too late to change that now."

"I wish…" She broke off, suddenly hesitant.

"What, Rosepaw?" Lostpaw asked her, licking her between her ears. "What do you wish for?"

Rosepaw sighed in exasperation. "I wish I could just run away from all this mess and be with you."

"We could," Lostpaw offered, "they won't miss us."

Rosepaw stared at him, dumbfounded. "Remember what happened with Leafpool and Crowfeather, they-"

"They are long dead, Rosepaw!" Lostpaw yawned and lay on the forest floor, his black pelt mingling in with the darkness of the night.

Rosepaw's green eyes glinted. "We shouldn't follow their example, Lostpaw! Look at the trouble they were in-"

"Oh, Rosepaw!" Lostpaw groaned. "We can't go on forever like this! I want to be with you everyday-"

"You're going to join ThunderClan?" Rosepaw asked, her eyes wide in disbelief.

Lostpaw shook his head vigorously. "No way! I'd rather have a frog as a leader than Nightstar."

The white she-cat shrugged. "True. But then, you're expecting me to join RiverClan?"

"No," the tom mewed, "Ravenstar would rip you to shreds if she finds out a ThunderClan apprentice wants to join RiverClan."

"Then what do you suppose we do?"

"Run away. Run away to the mountains. Somewhere where the Clans won't find us."

"To the mountains?" Rosepaw's jaw opened in a gape. "I-"

"Just think of it, Rosepaw," Lostpaw whispered, licking her on her cheek, "a world where there are no boundaries and we could be together forever."

"I can't, Lostpaw." Rosepaw turned away from him. "I've lived my whole life here. I don't want to abandon it-"

"Don't you think I've lived here all my life too?" Lostpaw asked, drawing closer to her. "I would do it…for you. Would you do it for _me_?"

Rosepaw gulped. That was a tough question. She loves him, but does she love him _that _much? Her heart was screaming the answer, though Rosepaw's common sense knew better. She would be safer in ThunderClan, despite its many problems…

"Answer me, Rosepaw. You're worrying me." Lostpaw's voice was pleading.

The white ThunderClan cat thought about how Nightstar was always comparing her to her mother, Frostclaw. She never knew her, for she was killed shortly after she was born, though it feels like Nightstar still saw the murderous she-cat in her daughter. Rosepaw had come to her decision.

"I would go, Lostpaw. For you."

Lostpaw smiled, his blue eyes dancing in his joy. "Oh, Rosepaw, you don't know how much that means to me," he mewed, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I know enough," Rosepaw purred, brushing against his flank.

Lostpaw returned her gesture graciously with a brush of his tail on her back. "Let's not run away too soon, just after RiverClan and ThunderClan come to friendly terms."

Rosepaw let out an incredulous purr. "Which will be never, Lostpaw," She meowed, her green eyes flickering playfully.

Lostpaw nodded and let out a small laugh. "You're right! I guess we'll talk about it…hm, how about the next half-moon at the LostTree?"

"That's not too far away." Rosepaw nodded her agreement. "Alright, Lostpaw of RiverClan, I'll meet you there." She rubbed her face against his flank.

"I love you," Lostpaw whispered to her, intertwining his tail with hers.

"I love you too," she whispered back, her heart soaring in her joy. She wanted to be like this forever and she might get her chance soon enough.

"Let's lie down here for a while, Rosepaw," Lostpaw mewed to her, "I'm getting a bit tired." He lay his body next to hers.

"You're right." Rosepaw looked at the direction they came from. It was silent except for the usual nightly hooting of the forest owls. She curled up next to Lostpaw and licked him affectionately.

She felt her eyelids grew heavy with sleep and she yawned. She heard Lostpaw breathing heavily and she suspected he was asleep. She stretched out on the forest floor and laid her head between her paws in a sphinx-like position. When she was sure she was going to fall asleep, she felt something tug at her back.

Her head shot up in alarm and Lostpaw's scent whirled around her. Once again, she felt that tugging sensation on her back. She looked back and she met intense blue eyes. Lostpaw was on her back!

"What are you doing?" She shrieked at him.

"Shh!" Lostpaw shushed her. "Do you want the whole forest to wake up?"

"But-"

He brushed his tail along her flank. "Do you love me?" He asked.

Suddenly, she felt a sort of ticklish feeling near her hind legs and she gave a gasp. Lostpaw tail was rubbing alongside her belly fur. "Lostpaw!" She hissed, starting to writhe around.

"Answer my question!" Lostpaw growled, a bit more firmly this time.

Rosepaw nodded. "Of course I do, Lostpaw, but…we're only apprentices!"

"Rosepaw, I just can't wait any longer!" His voice was pleading and urgent.

The she-cat gritted her teeth in frustration. "We're too young for this, Lostpaw, not to mention this is _so_ forbidden-"

"No, we're not too young!" Lostpaw whined. His tail continued to rub her flank and she could not suppress a soft moan. "See, you like it, Rosepaw!"

"I don't want to have kits, Lostpaw!" She hissed at him, narrowing her eyes.

"You won't, trust me."

Rosepaw gritted her teeth again. Lostpaw's tail moved from her belly to her delicate lower underbelly. She then shivered at the pleasure he was giving her.

"Alright, alright," she sighed, giving in to his desires, "I trust you."

Lostpaw grinned, his bright blue eyes lighting up dangerously. That night, no one could have heard the young lovers' piercing screams except the starry StarClan cats high above them in the sky.

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It wasn't StarClan who came for her. It was Swiftpaw.

Heatherpaw opened her eyes to see the black and white tom standing in front of her, a worried look on his face. "Swiftpaw!" She gasped.

Eaglepaw blinked at her. "Swiftpaw?"

She forgot he was still there in Nightstar's den with her. "Uh, no one, Eaglepaw."

He looked at her strangely. "We have to go to the battle, Heatherpaw! They need us!" Without another word, he darted out of the den.

Heatherpaw turned back to Swiftpaw. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm going to help you!" The dead cat lashed his tail impatiently. "Nightstar never bothered to teach you battle moves yet, so I'm here to help with that."

"How do you know I never learned how to fight?" Heatherpaw asked him.

"Nevermind," Swiftpaw mewed, "let's just hurry!"

Heatherpaw was still confused when they arrived at the battle scene. She could see the blood already on the ground and tufts of fur flying around as the ThunderClan and RiverClan cats fought. She could see Nightstar and Ravenstar locked in battle, their black pelts melting together in the dark surrounding, making it look like they were actually part of the darkness.

"Go and I'll tell you what to do, Heatherpaw!" Swiftpaw hissed to her.

"What? You're leaving me alone?"

"No. Just stand still for a second."

"What are you going to do-" She didn't have time to finish her sentence for she felt a sudden rush of freezing air rush inside her body and it felt as if winter had dumped all its cold on her. Her teeth chattered and she sputtered,

"S-Switfp-paw?"

_I'm here, don't worry, just go! _

"What?" She shrieked. The voice came out of her own head, almost as if she was thinking them herself. "Swiftpaw?"

_Watch out!_

Heatherpaw did not have time to dodge the RiverClan apprentice who suddenly barreled into her, knocking her to the earth-worn ground. The she-cat pinned her down and she opened her mouth to bite her shoulder. It was Goldenpaw, the apprentice she met when she was in the RiverClan camp.

_Kick with your hind legs, Heatherpaw!_

Instinctively she did so, her claws digging into the light brown tabby's soft underbelly. Goldenpaw spun away from her and crashed into Raggedstorm, who had been fighting with Spottedfur, the RiverClan deputy.

_Good! Now help Eaglepaw! He looks like he's in trouble!_

Heatherpaw looked to her side and saw the dark tabby apprentice pinned under the massive paws of Shadeclaw. Eaglepaw let out a defiant snarl but Shadeclaw only snickered and raised a claw to slash the apprentice across the face. Before he knew it, Heatherpaw tackled him to the ground, her heather-colored eyes blazing in fury. The RiverClan tom was so surprised he did not even notice Eaglepaw rushing into him from behind.

Eaglepaw bit into the warrior's tail and Shadeclaw let out an agonized yowl.

_Slash him hard, Heatherpaw! _

Heatherpaw's sharp claws slid out from their sheaths and she let out a flurry of rakes to the gray tom's nose, spilling blood on the already bloodstained ground. Shadeclaw hissed in fury and he backed away from them, spitting out curses as he ran out of the ThunderClan camp.

Eaglepaw looked at her, one of his amber eyes closed and swollen. "Thanks, Heatherpaw!"

The apprentice smiled at him. "It looks like you needed it!"

Eaglepaw was about to reply, but Heatherpaw suddenly felt a massive weight pin her down. It was Ravenstar! The deputy's muzzle was horribly scratched and her amber eyes were alight with hatred.

"You!" She hissed.

_Fight back, Heatherpaw! _

Heatherpaw snapped at the leader's paws and her claws dug into her sides, but Ravenstar would not budge.

"You made me lose a life, you sniveling excuse for a cat! You played with my trust!"

_She's distracted! Kick with your hind legs again!_

Heatherpaw gathered her strength and kicked her hind legs into the black cat's underside, but she was just too heavy for the apprentice to move.

"I don't think so, Featherpaw!"

"It's _Heatherpaw_!" She hissed and bit into the leader's forepaw, one of the ones that were holding her down. Ravenstar let out an infuriated hiss and sank her teeth into Heatherpaw's shoulder. Blood started to erupt from Ravenstar's paw and she let go, disgusted.

_Why did you let go? You're supposed to hold onto it! _

Heatherpaw ignored Swiftpaw's voice and she let out a screech. "Let me go, Ravenstar!"

"Never!" Ravenstar hissed though Heatherpaw's fur. She bit down even harder and Heatherpaw's vision started to swim as she started to lose consciousness. Her blood spilled on the ground like a river and she afraid this might be her last stand.

Suddenly, the sharp pain of Ravenstar's teeth disappeared from her shoulder as the leader was shoved off her. Nightstar appeared above her, her amber eyes blazing at her twin sister.

"Don't you dare touch my apprentice!" She hissed. Her swelling has gone down, for she was talking normally again.

"She killed me once, now its time I return the favor!" Ravenstar retorted, her amber eyes flashing angrily.

"Let's see how many lives you _really _have left, sister!" Nightstar screeched and barreled her.

That was all Heatherpaw saw before she lost consciousness and slipped into a world of black.


	19. Chapter 18

**In the beginning of this chapter, I decided to change the point of view a bit and begun it in the WindClan territory with Batwing and Graystar. I hope you guys don't get confused by this! XD**

**-Evanessence**

* * *

Chapter 18

_In the WindClan camp the next morning…_

"Graystar, we scented RiverClan again."

The leader hissed in his fury. "Those river rats are always crossing my territory as if this was a free-for-all!"

Batwing bowed his head. "I suppose we should attack them, Graystar," the deputy offered, "they deserve it."

Graystar flicked his tail, narrowing his eyes. "Now _that's_ a thought."

Batwing shifted uneasily, the walls of the WindClan leader's den making him feel trapped and uncomfortable.

"Batwing,"

The deputy's head shot up at the sound of his name.

"Gather up a patrol of about four warriors. We need to go to ShadowClan."

"ShadowClan?" The black tom was confused. "Their territory is across the lake!"

Graystar narrowed his amber eyes. "Do you think that will stop us? Go through RiverClan territory."

"What happens if they attack us?" Batwing asked his leader.

"Fight back." Graystar yawned and blinked sleepily. "Now go."

"But what am I going to ShadowClan for?" Batwing was worried his leader did not care for what happened to them, but Batwing was a loyal WindClan deputy. He always listened to his leader, no matter what he says.

"Ask them for their help, of course. We need to form allies, Batwing, no matter who they are."

"That would be hard to do-" Batwing started, but Graystar cut him off with an impatient hiss.

"Try your hardest!" The leader snapped. "Now leave!"

Batwing nodded and padded away from him. When he was at the entrance, he looked back. His leader had fallen asleep, his gray flanks rising and falling in rhythm. Batwing spat in disgust and left, mumbling angrily to himself.

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Heatherpaw woke up, her world in a blur. She groaned and opened her eyes, focusing on the den roof above her. She felt very lightheaded and she groaned again, feeling a thudding ache on her shoulder.

"Alright, alright, stop yowling. I'm coming." It was Cloverleaf. Heatherpaw was in the medicine cat den.

Cloverleaf hovered above her, her green eyes twinkling tiredly. "What's wrong, Heatherpaw?"

"What am I doing here?" The apprentice asked groggily.

The light brown tabby medicine cat sighed. "You lost a lot of blood in the battle and you fainted."

Heatherpaw gritted her teeth. She almost forgot about the battle! "Was RiverClan chased out?" She asked feverishly.

"Eventually, yes." Cloverleaf nodded. "Now if you don't mind, I have other cats to attend to."

Heatherpaw watched her go and she slowly sat up, wincing in pain as she moved her shoulder. It was covered in cobwebs and her fur was matted in blood. She licked it and flinched in the sudden sharp pain.

She looked around and noticed other cats around her. Raggedstorm was still sleeping, his ear torn and his flank heavily scratched and covered in cobwebs. Eaglepaw was near the entrance of the den, though he was awake. He was looking out into the ThunderClan camp, which shined in the morning sun.

Heatherpaw suddenly remembered the one cat that helped her most in the battle. Swiftpaw. "Where are you?" She asked softly, though there was no answer.

She hissed in frustration. "You always appear when you want to, huh?" She growled.

She thought she heard a cat chuckling and she shook her head. _Swiftpaw, thanks anyway, _she thought.

"Who were you talking to?" A voice asked from behind her. Heatherpaw turned around and came face to face with Firepaw.

"No one, Firepaw," Heatherpaw growled, flattening her ears. She suddenly noticed the small apprentice's face was badly scratched and one-half of his face was covered in cobwebs. "W-what happened to you?" She asked, suddenly feeling very guilty.

"Nothing. It's just a few scratches, that's all." Firepaw smiled at her, his green eyes glittering with his usual energy.

Heatherpaw gritted her teeth. "Firepaw, what did you do to get…that?" She pointed to the cobwebs on his young face with her muzzle.

"I…" Suddenly he was cut off by a taut voice,

"He took on a RiverClan warrior by himself." Icefang sat down next to her apprentice, wrapping her tail around her paws. "What a mouse-brain thing to do."

"I did it before," the fiery red apprentice whined, "back when I was named Firepaw for the first time-"

"That was Fire_star_, not Fire_paw_," Icefang growled, shaking her head.

"Same thing," Firepaw hissed under his breath. In a louder voice he mewed, "I chased him out though!"

"Beginner's luck!" Icefang spat. She then narrowed her ice blue eyes. "That warrior was still technically an apprentice."

Heatherpaw flicked her ears and coughed, causing Icefang to turn her head towards her. She flinched at what she saw in those eyes. They were strangely distant, as if she was not herself. Heatherpaw decided not to dwell on it and she mewed, "Icefang, why do you have to bring him down? Praise him for what he did!"

Icefang's white pelt suddenly bristled. "You have no right to question me like that, apprentice! I think he should think smarter in his battles, not just blindly run and attack his opponent, whatever their size." She flicked her eyes to Firepaw, who bowed his head in shame.

"Yes, Icefang," he murmured, "I will try harder next time."

Icefang sniffed contemptuously and turned back to Heatherpaw, her eyes narrowing. "I haven't seen you in a while. Where have you been?"

Heatherpaw met her gaze steadily. "Does that matter?"

The senior warrior's lip curled in anger. "Raggedstorm was never like this."

"I'm not your former apprentice, Icefang. I am his daughter."

"Pity." The white cat shook her head. "Raggedstorm was such an excellent apprentice, until that she-cat spoiled him-"

"That _she-cat_ is my mother!" Heatherpaw suddenly shot up on her four paws, her heather-colored eyes blazing wildly and light brown tabby pelt bristling.

"Now I know where you get your rotten attitude from!" Icefang copied Heatherpaw's motion, though she looked more threatening and menacing. Heatherpaw could not help but shrink back in her fear.

Suddenly a paw shot out between them. Cloverleaf's light brown tabby head appeared in Heatherpaw's view and the apprentice's pelt abruptly stopped bristling.

"I will not have this in my den!" The medicine cat spat, glaring at the two she-cats. She then turned to Firepaw, who shrugged.

"Stay quiet or leave," Cloverleaf hissed, "I still have cats resting here." Without another word, she left them to pad to Raggedstorm, who was still sleeping as if nothing had happened. The medicine cat carefully checked his torn ear before moving on to another cat.

Heatherpaw watched her for a second before switching her gaze back to Icefang, who hissed loudly.

"Stay out of my fur," she growled softly, aware that Cloverleaf had turned her head towards them.

"Once you'll get out of mine, I'll stay out of yours!" Heatherpaw shot back, her eyes still blazing with the light of battle.

Icefang spat at her. "I'm leaving."

"Good!" Heatherpaw retorted.

The senior warrior shook her head and looked at her apprentice. "Firepaw," she growled, "come with me, you need to do some more training-"

Firepaw was about to reply when Heatherpaw interrupted him. "He's badly hurt, Icefang-"

"Shut up, you!" The white she-cat's glare could have melted Heatherpaw's fur if it was fire.

"Don't worry about me, Heatherpaw. I'm fine," Firepaw mumbled, his voice low, "really."

Heatherpaw gaped at him. "But-"

Icefang quickly left the den with one last snort, her apprentice following her, his tail dragging on the ground. Heatherpaw gritted her teeth in frustration. _Icefang is so-_

Before she could finish her thought, a voice interrupted her.

"That battle has affected you more than one way, huh?"

It was Eaglepaw. The tabby tom had padded up to her, his face smiling. Both of his amber eyes were open, unlike when Heatherpaw had last seen him.

"How?" Heatherpaw asked him, her voice growing defensive.

"Well," Eaglepaw started, sitting down next to her, "for one, you certainly grew bolder than ever. Icefang is a senior warrior and you must be stupid to fight with her. Especially when-"

"I'm stupid?" Heatherpaw growled, her claws unsheathing.

Eaglepaw looked alarmed. "N-no, what I meant was-"

Heatherpaw softly butted his shoulder. "I know what you mean. Icefang is nothing more to me than a warrior who deserves a place in the elder's den."

"Speaking of elders," the tom mewed, his voice suddenly growing grim, "we're probably going to be cleaning out their bedding for moons."

Heatherpaw laughed. "That's right!"

Eaglepaw smiled, his whiskers twitching in amusement.

The light brown she-cat let out a purr. "What was the second thing, Eaglepaw? What else has the battle evoked in me?"

Eaglepaw smirked and got up, touching his nose to hers. "You certainly impressed me there, Heatherpaw. I've never seen an apprentice fight like that."

The she-cat blushed, despite herself. She was about to open her mouth to say something, but a voice suddenly called out from the entrance of the den.

"Eaglepaw!" It was Maplefur. The light brown she-cat looked impatient. "Icefang wants us to train with her and Firepaw!"

Eaglepaw groaned and answered, "Coming, Maplefur!" He then touched his nose to Heatherpaw's again. "I guess I'll see you later!"

Heatherpaw felt her face flush with his affectionate gesture and she stammered, "y-yeah."

He left and she softly exhaled. She was holding her breath all this time! _Why am I feeling this way?_ She thought, _Eaglepaw is just an apprentice, like me!_ She shook those thoughts away before she could come to any conclusions. She looked around and found her father had woken up and was staring at her intently.

She felt her fur starting to burn under his amber gaze. "Yes, Raggedstorm?" She asked, her voice growing taut.

He got up and yawned, his eyes never leaving her. "How about a good morning?" He asked her, his tail lashing.

"Good morning," she grumbled, avoiding her father's eyes.

"I…overheard your conversation." Raggedstorm padded up to her. "I think Eaglepaw has a bit of a crush on you."

"I know that." Heatherpaw could not believe her father was talking to her about _this_. _Why can't he just avoid me as he always does? _She thought. _This is _so _embarrassing!_

"And I believe you too have a crush on him." The light brown tabby tom's deep voice was ringing in her ears and she shook her head in disbelief.

"I do not!" She hissed loudly.

Raggedstorm's amber eyes glittered with some unknown knowledge and he mewed, "alright, but just know I don't want you making any decisions this early in your life."

Heatherpaw's mouth gaped in disbelief. "_What _decisions?"

"You know what I'm talking about." Raggedstorm smiled at her and walked away from her. He was about to slip out of the entrance of the den before Cloverleaf stopped him.

"You're not going anywhere with that ear of yours still infected," she hissed at him.

Raggedstorm sighed. "I'm just going to get some fresh-kill, Cloverleaf. I'll be back."

The medicine cat nodded to him and he left. Only Heatherpaw and she remained in the den. "Alright." She then turned her head, meeting Heatherpaw's eyes. "What's wrong? You look like you just saw a badger!"

Heatherpaw's mind raced. _It sure feels like it!_ She thought. "It's nothing, Cloverleaf," she finally managed to say.

Cloverleaf blinked at her and padded closer. "Hm, that mark is starting to worry me. It's not going away."

"It's just a mark," the light brown tabby apprentice mewed, "it's nothing."

Cloverleaf was not the least bit convinced. "I don't know about that."

Heatherpaw decided to change the subject as she flexed her wounded shoulder. "How long is this thing going to bother me?"

"For a while," Cloverleaf answered, "and I suggest you stay away from heavy training from now on until it heals, alright?"

"Try telling that to Nightstar," Heatherpaw murmured.

The medicine cat's green eyes glittered and she smiled. "Don't worry; Nightstar will understand…I hope."

Heatherpaw nodded and she gazed into those green eyes…the very same color that belonged to Rosepaw's eyes…with a gasp, she remembered the white she-cat.

_Where is she?_ The apprentice thought, _she must have fought in the battle too! Unless…_

As if on cue, Rosepaw burst through the entrance of the den, breaking Heatherpaw's thoughts. The she-cat was hissing loudly and her green eyes were blazing, as if she was in pain.

Before any cat could act, she collapsed onto the mossy floor, her white pelt trembling uncontrollably.


	20. Chapter 19

**Sorry for the long wait, guys! Here's Chapter 19! No Swifty in this one, sorry. DX**

**-Evanessence**

* * *

Chapter 19

Heatherpaw felt her mouth open in a gape. _What's wrong with her?_ She thought, momentarily forgetting she was now Rosepaw's enemy.

Cloverleaf was next to Rosepaw in a flash, her green eyes quickly scanning the she-cat's white body.

"It hurts! It hurts!" Rosepaw groaned, writhing around the mossy floor. Heatherpaw drew closer to get a better look at her, but Cloverleaf blocked her view. The medicine cat seemed to be very concerned for the apprentice.

"What's going on?" Heatherpaw asked her, trying to move around her to get a better view.

The light brown tabby she-cat jumped, as if she forgot the apprentice was still there. Cloverleaf turned to her, her green eyes troubled. "Heatherpaw, can you go outside for a moment?"

Heatherpaw still did not understand. "Huh?"

"This is…private." Cloverleaf seemed desperate to get rid of her, and with Rosepaw moaning in the background, Heatherpaw could see it plainly. She was not wanted. The apprentice sighed and nodded, brushing past the medicine cat and exiting the den.

Once she was outside, she let out a frustrated growl. _What's so private that I have to leave?_ She thought. _I_ _don't know if Rosepaw still cares for me, but I still care for _her_._

Her thoughts were interrupted by a chorus of mewls that erupted from the Nursery. Curious, and somewhat bored, she decided to investigate. She padded towards the narrow and shielded cleft in the wall that made up the Nursery.

She poked her head through and saw Birdflight's kits, Thistlekit and Dawnkit, tussling on the mossy ground. Their mother was stretched out next to them, her black and white tail twitching lazily. Smokefeather was next to her, her yellow eyes blinking tiredly.

"Kits!" Birdflight scolded her children. "Play more quietly!"

Thistlekit and Dawnkit did not seem to have heard their mother, for they continued to mew and squeal loudly in their excitement.

Smokefeather noticed her daughter looking at them and she smiled. "Heatherpaw! Come in, come in!" She beckoned her with her tail.

Heatherpaw nodded and slithered through the entrance, her eyes quickly adjusting to the dim light of the Nursery. She carefully avoided the kits as they tumbled around on the ground and made her way to her mother.

The pregnant dark gray queen licked the top of her forehead. "What happened to you?" She asked, noticing her heavily bandaged shoulder.

"I…fought in the battle yesterday, mother." Heatherpaw could tell Smokefeather was worried and the apprentice did not want her mother to stress while she was still pregnant. "I'm okay though, don't worry."

Smokefeather smirked. "I won't. You have your father's vitality." She purred and licked her daughter's forehead again.

Heatherpaw flushed in her embarrassment. She noticed Birdflight's curious eyes on her and she glanced at the queen.

"Thank StarClan RiverClan was chased out," Birdflight mewed to her, "if not, I would have to have fought myself!"

Heatherpaw felt her mother give a sigh.

"Birdflight, ever since you were an apprentice you wanted to be a queen," meowed Smokefeather, "you hated being a warrior. Why?"

Birdflight gave a yawn and flicked her tail. Thistlekit and Dawnkit were pawing at it, their excited squeals echoing through the Nursery walls. "I always hated fighting," the queen answered Smokefeather's question, "I just see no point to it."

Heatherpaw agreed with the queen, though she loved the feeling of adrenaline coursing through her veins and the honor of defending her Clan. Yesterday was her first experience with such feelings, and she hoped she would have more.

Birdflight gently hissed at her kits as they pawed her tail a little too roughly. "I hope these kits never have to fight," she mewed wistfully.

Smokefeather let out a purr. "They will have to fight if they have to. Look at Thistlekit," she pointed to the rather large black tom. He was a bulky kit, awkwardly stumbling on his short legs. He had amber eyes like his mother, and he had white paws.

"He looks like he could be a fine warrior." Smokefeather then pointed to Dawnkit, a light ginger she-kit. She was smaller than her brother was and Heatherpaw could see faint tabby marks through the kit's pelt. She too had amber eyes.

Nobody knew who the kits' father was except Birdflight herself. She chose to keep his identity secret, which was a right all queens have.

"Dawnkit will also be a good warrior." Smokefeather nuzzled the small she-kit, who let out a small squeal in return.

Heatherpaw noticed Birdflight's look of worry as she glanced at her kits. "I guess it's necessary." Her amber eyes then darkened. "I just wish there was no bloodshed."

"Me too, Birdflight." Smokefeather's voice sounded distant, as if she was recalling some unknown memory.

Heatherpaw was quiet, watching the two kits as they continued to play fight. They seemed to have boundless energy and the apprentice was suddenly reminded of poor Firepaw.

"Heatherpaw." Her mother suddenly turned to her. "I heard Nightstar was looking for you."

The apprentice's heart sank in dismay. _Oh no!_ She thought, but then she remembered the last moments of the battle, the moments where Nightstar defended her from her sister. Nightstar risked the rest of her lives for her. She deserves more credit than the very few Heatherpaw gives her.

Birdflight let out a chuckle. "I also heard you were in some big trouble, Heatherpaw." She looked at the apprentice, who suddenly let out a gulp.

"Trouble?" Smokefeather stared at her daughter, confusion in her yellow eyes. "_What _trouble, Heatherpaw?"

"Uh, nothing, Smokefeather." Heatherpaw started to back away.

Her mother looked angry. "_Heatherpaw_! What did you do?"

"Uh…" Heatherpaw did not have time to think of a lie. "Bye!" She quickly slipped out of the den, her head and tail low. She could hear Smokefeather give an infuriated hiss but Heatherpaw was already out of the den and into the camp.

She barely had time to think before she was confronted with another cat. It was Nightstar. The black she-cat narrowed her amber eyes and hissed.

Heatherpaw's heather-colored eyes flashed in her fear. "Uh, Nightstar-"

"Come to my den." Without another word, the leader slipped away and padded into her den.

Heatherpaw gulped uncertainly and reluctantly followed her mentor, her spirits dampening with every step she took towards that den. The morning grew cloudy, further deepening Heatherpaw's mood. She longed to feel the sun warm her back again, but today it seemed as if though it was going to bring a storm.

She parted the lichen outside the den entrance with her snout and she slipped inside, stepping onto the springy moss. She caught the harsh glint of Nightstar's amber eyes and they blinked twice, signaling her to come closer.

Heatherpaw had no choice but to oblige, wearily padding closer to her mentor. She sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws, waiting for the leader to speak.

Nightstar, though, was eerily quiet. She was staring at the apprentice with unblinking eyes and Heatherpaw could feel the waves of tension coming off her pelt. The sunless sky outside made it hard for the apprentice to see her mentor's face, but she could tell it was badly scratched from last night's battle. With a sudden sinking feeling, Heatherpaw knew it was her fault they were there in the first place.

Suddenly a rustle sounded from the lichen behind the apprentice and she turned around to see what it was. To her surprise, Redfeather poked his head through the lichen, his amber eyes rested on her face.

"May I come in?" Redfeather mewed, his deep voice somehow comforting to Heatherpaw's ears.

"Yes." Nightstar's mew came out as a croak.

Heatherpaw's whiskers twitched as Redfeather stepped inside, shaking his russet red coat. He sat down next to Heatherpaw, his body seeming to radiate a soft kindness that made the apprentice's nervous heart beat a little less faster that what it was before.

Nightstar suddenly bowed her head, her appearance suddenly looking as if she was moons older than what she really was. She sighed and looked up at Heatherpaw, her amber eyes glistening with a deep sorrow.

"What's wrong?" She dared to ask, but Redfeather's light touch of his tail to her shoulder told her it was not the time to speak, but to listen.

Nightstar took a deep breath and mewed softly, "I feel like I have failed you, Heatherpaw-"

The light brown tabby apprentice could not suppress a gasp. "What?" Once again, she felt Redfeather's tail on her shoulder, warning her to stay quiet.

Nightstar gave Redfeather a brisk nod of thanks before speaking to him. "I feel you are ready for your first apprentice, Redfeather."

The tom bowed his head respectfully. "I am."

Heatherpaw stared at Nightstar, then at Redfeather. _What's going on?_ She thought, her mind whirling with questions. _Are they-_

Before she can finish her thought, Nightstar padded up to her, her battle-scarred face somber and grim. She abruptly touched her snout to hers and mewed, "there will be no ceremony for this, because I feel this is a shame to me."

Heatherpaw was shocked into silence as the leader continued on,

"I am passing on the duty of mentoring you to Redfeather, Heatherpaw. Let's pray to StarClan that he is a better mentor to you than I ever was."

Heatherpaw suddenly felt Redfeather's pelt press against hers comfortingly, but not even he can comfort the overwhelming feeling of guilt she felt. This was all her fault.

"I was a bad apprentice, Nightstar," she mewed pleadingly, "I could've done better-"

The ThunderClan leader shook her head. "When I saw you battle yesterday, I realized how inexperienced you were." She blinked, her voice suddenly growing shaky. "I am a poor mentor, and you deserve a better one." She abruptly turned away and disappeared into the darkness of her den.

Heatherpaw was dumbfounded. If she was feeling like her old self, she would have been glad to get rid of Nightstar, but for some reason, she felt guilty. _Very _guilty.

"It was her decision to make," Redfeather mewed to her, his voice level, "not yours. She felt like she wasn't a good mentor to you and-"

"She was a fine mentor; I just was a stupid apprentice!"

"Stop blaming yourself!" Redfeather got up and backed away from her. "Nightstar feels you could have a better training with me, Heatherpaw. I will make you the best warrior, don't worry!"

Heatherpaw stared at him, narrowing her heather-colored eyes. "That's what Nightstar told me when I was made her apprentice."

Redfeather stayed quiet, his amber eyes unmoving. He moved towards his new apprentice, but she scooted away from him.

"How can I trust you now? How can I make sure you won't leave me like Nightstar did to me?"

Redfeather could tell she was hurt, and hurt badly. He bowed his head and sighed. "Heatherpaw, it's okay if you don't want me as your mentor. I understand." Without another word, he quietly left the den, his tail dragging on the ground.

Heatherpaw stared after him, her stomach doing flips inside of her. She wanted to yowl her frustration to the heavens and at the same time curl up and die.

_Great StarClan! _She prayed desperately._ What am I going to do? _

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"You've got to be kidding me. _WindClan_?"

Batwing stared at the ShadowClan deputy, his amber eyes smothering with hate. He always resented the ignorant deputy, Hazefrost, a white tom with gray tipped ears. _He must be thinking I'm telling him sort of joke…_he thought angrily.

"I don't think this was a good idea…," the WindClan warrior beside Batwing told him. It was a dark brown tom.

As Batwing could tell from the laughing ShadowClan patrol, the warrior was right.

"Try telling that to Graystar, Hawkfeather." The WindClan deputy had enough of the ShadowClan's snickering and he lashed his tail. "If you won't take us to Snakestar, I won't bother wasting my time with you."

Hazefrost abruptly stopped laughing and glared at the WindClan cat. "I just didn't think _WindClan_ would come running to us for help."

The warriors beside Batwing shifted nervously. He could tell they wanted to dig their claws into some ShadowClan fur, but they needed to do this without any bloodshed.

"Hazefrost," a ShadowClan warrior spoke up from beside the deputy. He was a small, wiry dusty brown tom with a torn ear. "Maybe Snakestar would consider it."

"Sandtail, are you mouse-brained?" The ShadowClan deputy cuffed him harshly, sending the small tom to the ground. "Snakestar won't bother in these petty fights."

"I just thought-" Sandtail whimpered, shakily standing up. "I just thought that-"

Hazefrost shook his head and turned back to the WindClan cats. "Protect your own borders and we'll worry about ours. RiverClan has always been one of our close allies, so we won't care if they invade your little territory."

Batwing's lip curled in disgust. "RiverClan is _not_ one of your close allies!"

"How would you know?" Another ShadowClan warrior sniggered. It was Whitesky, a white she-cat. "They're right next to us, after all."

Hazefrost nodded his agreement. "I think Graystar should get off his lazy tail and start protecting his borders for once."

"We protect our borders very well!" Hawkfeather hissed from beside Batwing. They deputy could tell the warrior was enraged, but he put his tail on the dark brown tom's broad shoulder to calm him.

"Oh really?" Whitesky snickered. "RiverClan, unlike you, would care about their borders. If you don't get a move on, they might just show you how well they _do _protect their borders."

Batwing could not suppress a gulp. _What was Graystar thinking when he thought of asking _ShadowClan_ for help? They're just a bunch of arrogant cats!_

"Not only is _RiverClan_ crossing our border, Hazefrost," a WindClan warrior suddenly growled. It was the young warrior, Sparrowflight. "_ThunderClan's _also putting their little dirty paws inside our border too."

Hazefrost's eyes suddenly flashed. "ThunderClan?"

Batwing looked at Sparrowflight and reminded himself to praise the black she-cat when they got back to camp.

"I wouldn't mind letting you talk to Snakestar about _ThunderClan_._" _Hazefrost looked thoughtful, his white tail flicking back and forth.

Sparrowflight smiled. "ThunderClan, yes." She looked at Batwing and he nodded, mouthing a silent thanks.

"I'll take only the deputy to our camp," Hazefrost addressed his patrol, "stay here and make sure the others don't leave."

The ShadowClan warriors nodded, their eyes switching to the WindClan cats.

"Come with me, Batwing," Hazefrost growled to him and pelted into the dark territory, his white pelt disappearing into the pine forest.

The WindClan deputy reluctantly followed, not sure what to expect when he reached the ShadowClan camp.


	21. Chapter 20

**Sorry for the long wait, guys! I was super busy with school and all that jazz. In this chapter we find out what happened to Rosepaw (finally!) and even a little Swiftpaw. **

**-Evanessence**

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Chapter 20

Cloverleaf was worried. Who knew Rosepaw would do such a thing as…as…

The medicine cat could not bring herself to even think about it. She had not seen an apprentice like this ever since she _herself_ was an apprentice under the guidance of her mentor, Dawnflower.

Rosepaw was still moaning on the ground in front of her, the white she-cat's pretty face twisted in her pain. "Make it stop, Cloverleaf!" The apprentice whined.

_Poppy seeds…she needs poppy seeds for the pain…_Cloverleaf hurriedly went to the poppy head and shook a couple of seeds to her paw. _Not too much…it could overwhelm her_- Her last thought was cut off by Rosepaw's sudden gagging as the she-cat spit up the seeds.

"Rosepaw!" The medicine cat growled in frustration.

"I can't. It hurts!"

"Quit whining! Eat these and your pain will dull. Whomever you mated with should have been more careful. This was your first time."

Rosepaw almost gagged on the seeds again, but she swallowed them with a slow gulp. "H-how do you know?" She asked the light brown tabby she-cat, her voice shaky.

Cloverleaf narrowed her green eyes and lashed her tail. "I know. I am a medicine cat."

Rosepaw looked at her paws guiltily and she mumbled, "It still hurts…"

The medicine cat's face twisted in scorn. "The pain will go away with time, as it normally should." She narrowed her eyes again. "Who is the tom?"

Rosepaw's head suddenly shot up, her green eyes wide in alarm. "Uh…"

Cloverleaf wrapped her tail around her paws, a quirk she adapted from her mentor in these situations. She did not expect Rosepaw to tell her the truth, though Cloverleaf hoped the apprentice was better than that…

"It was…he's…um…" Rosepaw's mind was racing as much as her body was aching with the now dulling pain. _Think of a tom, any tom…_One name came to her mind, but she would regret it the moment it came out of her mouth, she knew it.

"Tell me." Cloverleaf's gaze was intense, yet surprisingly calm.

_What other choice do I have_? She gulped and mewed, "Eaglepaw."

Cloverleaf's eyes opened wide as she finished saying the word 'paw'.

Rosepaw's white fur flushed in her embarrassment. _I knew it! _She thought, wanting to hit herself. _Now I have Eaglepaw in this, and he does not even care for me!_ _All he cares for is _Heatherpaw_…_

"Really?"

Cloverleaf's mew echoed blankly through Rosepaw's mind and the apprentice nodded numbly. "Uh-huh."

The medicine cat tipped her head to the side, narrowing her eyes with suspicion. "But he was here just a few minutes ago."

Rosepaw did not foresee that coming. She was so taken aback that she did not have time to come up with a response, but Cloverleaf did not seem to have noticed.

"I know what he must have done with you," the older she-cat growled, her voice like ice, "he must have mated with you and left you for dead."

Rosepaw's ears flicked in surprise. "N-no, it wasn't like that! Uh-" _Lostpaw left me, but that was because he scented the dawn patrol and I didn't have time to say goodbye to him before the pain started to come…_

"How was it, then?" The medicine cat's voice was now low and intimidating, as if she knew Rosepaw was lying to her.

Rosepaw buried her muzzle in her chest, too ashamed to say anything.

"If you don't want to talk about it, then I will respect that."

Rosepaw looked up at her, her head cocked quizzically_. I must have done something right for once…_she thought, but then she regretted it when Cloverleaf spoke again.

"Now lie down. I have to see if you're pregnant."

The apprentice's jaw hit the floor. "P-pregnant?" _Lostpaw said this wouldn't be a problem_! She thought desperately. _Why was I so foolish as to believe him?_

She left her question hanging as she obediently lied down on the mossy floor, Cloverleaf hovering over her.

"Yes, pregnant. You're too young, but things can always happen. It has been done before…" Her paws started to poke and prod her flank, causing the apprentice to let out pitiful whines of pain.

_It has been done before? Great StarClan!_ Rosepaw closed her eyes as Cloverleaf examined her white body. _I don't want to become a mother! _A face suddenly popped up in her head, and it was the last one she expected to see. Her_ own_ mother, Frostclaw.

Cloverleaf let out a soft sigh and removed her paws from the apprentice's flank. "No, Rosepaw. You are still too young, thank StarClan."

Rosepaw quickly sat up, the pain almost numbed by her overwhelming relief. _Thank you, StarClan!_ She prayed, but somehow she felt as if she let them down by mating with Lostpaw, a tomcat from another Clan and an _apprentice_, nonetheless. _But I love him…_she thought, _and I will love him until the day I die._

"Eaglepaw will be much relieved, won't he?" Cloverleaf asked her suddenly, her whiskers twitching in her still apparent suspicion.

Rosepaw's thoughts on Lostpaw were suddenly vaporized and replaced with the words of her made-up story. "Very much so, Cloverleaf," she mewed, almost mechanically.

"I need to speak with you two."

Rosepaw blinked in surprise. "With me…and him?" _This is not Eaglepaw's fault!_ She thought, _but you don't know that, of course!_ She felt like hitting herself again.

Cloverleaf nodded. "Yes. You both have broken the warrior code."

Rosepaw could not help but let her more independent side take over. "We broke the warrior code by _mating_? How?"

"You both are clearly underage." Cloverleaf snorted as she gave Rosepaw a stern glance. "And clearly both of you have no clue as to the seriousness of what you are doing."

"Huh?"

"What if you _did _become pregnant, hm?" Cloverleaf asked her, her voice as dry as a ground without a year's worth of rain. "What would you have done?"

"Uh…" Rosepaw blinked in her confusion. "Tell him?"

"Tell him _what_?"

"Congratulations?"

Cloverleaf looked exasperated. "_No!_ Eaglepaw would have to become a father as an apprentice and even more importantly, _you_ will be retired from your training to become a queen at the Nursery!"

"Oh." Rosepaw never thought of that.

"See how your naivety gets you into all sorts of _serious_ trouble?" Cloverleaf shook her head. "Please don't be like your mother."

"My mother? What does _she _have to do with this?" Her hatred for her mother clearly showed in the apprentice's voice.

Cloverleaf sighed and shook her head again. "Frostclaw was…like you in many ways."

Rosepaw was appalled. "No I'm not! I'm like my father!"

Cloverleaf's eyes stayed steady with Rosepaw's as she mewed again, "Rosepaw, Badgerfrost is _not_ your father."

That's when Rosepaw's world came crumbling down around her.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Heatherpaw closed her eyes, wishing everything would go away and leave her in peace, but when she opened them again, she saw that she was still in Nightstar's den, _still_ confused. She reluctantly got up, her muscles feeling as if they had not been used in moons. She padded outside of the den, squinting as the harsh light of the dawn blinded her eyes.

She shook her head to get rid of the white spots that developed in her vision and once she did, she saw Eaglepaw, Maplefur, Icefang and Firepaw return from their training session.

She cocked her head to the side in confusion. _They finished early!_ She thought. _I wonder what happened…_

As she padded closer, she saw that Eaglepaw was leading Firepaw to Cloverleaf's den. The fiery red tom's wounds had reopened and he was yowling in pain. Heatherpaw felt a sharp pang of pity for the small apprentice. They disappeared into the medicine cat's den and Heatherpaw turned her gaze to Icefang and Maplefur.

Maplefur had gone back to the warrior's den, her tail dragging on the ground. Icefang, however, was staring at Heatherpaw, a surprised look coming to her face. Heatherpaw was confused and she padded closer to the older she-cat.

Icefang's ice blue eyes darted from her to the medicine cat den, then back to Heatherpaw.

"What's wrong, Icefang?" Heatherpaw asked her, noticing the way the senior warrior's tail twitched nervously.

The white she-cat blinked, then shook her head.

The light brown tabby apprentice was not so sure about that. She padded closer to the warrior and to her immediate surprise; Icefang darted straight out of the camp, her tail waving high in the air. Instinctively, Heatherpaw gave chase, her sore limbs screaming with the effort.

Icefang was surprisingly fast for a warrior her age. She darted in and out of the trees as if she knew the whole forest by heart. It was hard for Heatherpaw to keep up and she felt the cobwebs on her shoulder wounds start to tear with all this strain.

Suddenly she heard a crash and Heatherpaw abruptly stopped, almost tumbling into Icefang. The warrior had crashed into a tree. She did not seem to be hurt, just dazed and dizzy.

Heatherpaw took this opportunity to jump on the warrior, knocking her to the ground. Icefang did not seem to fight back; she just went limp underneath the apprentice's paws.

"What are you hiding?" Heatherpaw hissed, her heather-colored eyes narrowing.

Icefang's white face seemed to have the same, surprised look that she gave Heatherpaw just a few moments ago. She did not reply, much to Heatherpaw's frustration.

"Answer me!" Suddenly, Heatherpaw gasped. Icefang's ice blue eyes suddenly changed into a brilliant amber. "Huh?"

The warrior's eyes closed shut before the apprentice could register what was happening. Heatherpaw jumped off her, landing a tail-length away.

"Icefang?"

"She's unconscious."

Swiftpaw's voice made her jump. She whirled around and came face-to-face with the ghostly tom.

"What are you doing here?" Heatherpaw asked him, more baffled than anything.

Tail twitching, Swiftpaw looked at Icefang, then back at her. "I…" His voice was high-pitched, as if he was scared of something.

Heatherpaw's heather-colored eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Swiftpaw, what did you_ do _to her?"

The black-and-white tom shook his head. "You wouldn't understand-"

The apprentice's pretty face twisted as she gave the ghostly cat a smirk. "Try me."

Swiftpaw took a deep breath and murmured, "I tried to kill Rosepaw."


	22. Chapter 21

**Sorry for the long wait guys, but with this new school year, I have been extremely busy. Most of you might need to reread the last few chapters because of the long wait, but what's the harm in a little more Swiftpaw? XD**

**-Essence**

* * *

Chapter 21

Heatherpaw froze. "You tried to…_kill _her? How?"

Swiftpaw seemed nervous and jumpy as he answered, "Remember when I sorta…went inside of your head in the battle yesterday?"

The light brown tabby she-cat nodded.

"Well, I can do that with other cats too."

Heatherpaw's mouth opened in a gape. "You…you were _controlling_ Icefang?" She could not believe what she was hearing. Swiftpaw, a cat she trusted as a _friend_, doing this. It was just too unreal to believe.

Swiftpaw nodded, looking guilty. "Yes."

"And she _listened _to you?"

The ghostly black and white tom chuckled. "She was a tough nut to crack, that's for sure. I even convinced her I was Firestar."

Heatherpaw could not help but laugh aloud. "If Firepaw hears you-"

Just then, something stirred near his paws. Icefang was waking up, her eyes once again their icy blue color. She yawned and looked at Heatherpaw, surprise flaring in her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" the she-cat asked her, standing up.

"I can ask you the same thing," retorted Heatherpaw. She glanced at Swiftpaw, who let out a chuckle.

Icefang seemed confused as she looked around. "I'm not sure exactly…_what_ I'm doing here."

"I think you were hunting, Icefang."

"_Hunting_?"

Heatherpaw nodded. "I saw the squirrel run off somewhere. I think you should go chase it."

Icefang looked skeptical.

"You better hurry!"

The same look was still plastered on her face as Icefang run off. She ran right through Swiftpaw as he laughed.

"And…and she's a _senior_ warrior?" He choked, trying to compose himself.

"Supposedly." Heatherpaw's face then turned serious, cutting off Swiftpaw's ghostly laughing. "Why do you want Rosepaw to die?"

Swiftpaw looked guilty and shuffled his black-and-white paws. "Tigerstar's in her."

"_In_ her? You mean, she_ is _Tigerstar?" Heatherpaw asked him.

The dead tom shook his head. "No, she's not Tigerstar, but she has his essence."

"His essence?"

Swiftpaw groaned. "What's with all the questions, Heatherpaw?"

"I'm curious, okay!"

"Are you…_concerned_ for her?" Swiftpaw blinked at her, waiting for her reaction.

Heatherpaw's ears grew hot from embarrassment. "Don't change the subject! Tell me what Tigerstar's doing with Rosepaw!"

"He's basically…'_asleep_' in her," Swiftpaw explained, "she may not look like it, but she's related to him."

"Really?" Heatherpaw couldn't believe it. Rosepaw…related to _Tigerstar_? It was too unreal to believe!

Swiftpaw nodded. "I'm afraid one day Tigerstar will wake up and notice he can take over the forest…_again_."

"Rosepaw won't let him do that," Heatherpaw argued, "she's too good for him."

"And so were Hawkfrost…and Darkstripe…"

"Alright, alright!" Heatherpaw growled, annoyed. "The only thing that could stop him is to _kill _Rosepaw?"

Swiftpaw shrugged. "I don't know any other way. I'm just an apprentice after all."

Heatherpaw gritted her teeth in frustration. The tabby she-cat didn't want her friend to die, but with a threat so great like _Tigerstar…_

"Are you sure you're not pulling my tail, Swiftpaw?"

The tom shook his head vigorously. "Of course not, Heatherpaw. Do you remember Rosepaw's mother, Frostclaw?"

"No," Heatherpaw growled, "I wasn't born when she was here."

Swiftpaw sighed. "Well I do. I know Tigerstar was present in her when she was alive…and now she passed down his curse to her daughter."

Heatherpaw blinked. "So…"

"Now that Frostclaw is rotting in the Place of No Stars with Hawkfrost and the others, she's watching her daughter grow up here, if they _can_. I'm sure she wants Tigerstar to rise once again in the form of her daughter."

"Rosepaw is not evil!" Heatherpaw growled.

"Not now," mewed Swiftpaw, "but maybe in the future…"

"She has never done anything wrong, Swiftpaw!" Heatherpaw's eyes were blazing with fury. How could Swiftpaw judge the white cat without giving her a chance?

The black and white tom let out a cough. "I think you should rethink that, Heatherpaw. What she's doing with that RiverClan tom isn't what I call _good_…"

Heatherpaw froze. "How do you know about that?"

Swiftpaw's fur suddenly bristled in alarm. "Uh, well,"

"Are you following me_ everywhere_ I go?"

"Technically I can't leave your side so…yeah."

Heatherpaw's tabby fur stood on end. "_Swiftpaw!_"

"I thought you knew already!" Swiftpaw growled defensively. "Now look who's changing the subject!"

"I can change the subject if I want to!" Heatherpaw snapped. "Even when I go…and, you know…"

"Ew, no!" Swiftpaw spat. "I may be dead, but I still have my manners!"

Heatherpaw smirked. "Alright, I trust you on that."

Swiftpaw was about to respond, when alarm suddenly flashed through his amber eyes. He quickly disappeared, leaving Heatherpaw.

"Yeah," murmured Heatherpaw sarcastically, "_now_ you leave me." _That tom is getting on my nerves…_she thought.

A light cough interrupted her thoughts.

Heatherpaw froze, her eyes opening wide. _Oh no…_

She turned around, her heart sinking.

"Now let me ask you again," Redfeather growled, his voice shaking, "_who are you talking to_?"

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Rosepaw felt her fur bristle. _Badgerfrost…not my father? What's going on?_

"Rosepaw," Cloverleaf mewed, "say something. You're worrying me."

The white apprentice drew back, curling her lip in anger. "You're wrong! He's my father!" The medicine cat shook her head and sighed.

"She never told you, did she?"

"I barely _knew_ my mother!"

Cloverleaf bowed her head. "I wish I was wrong, young Rosepaw. But…"

"But…that means my whole life has been a lie!" Rosepaw cried, her voice cracking.

"No it has not!" Cloverleaf padded closer to her, but the apprentice drew back even further. "Your life has not been a lie. Your father was a rogue. Nobody knew him except your mother."

"I'm part…_rogue_?" The white she-cat was trembling furiously.

"That doesn't matter," mewed Cloverleaf firmly, "what matters is you're part of our Clan now. You're a Clan cat."

Rosepaw was so infuriated that she didn't even think about her next words. "Maybe I don't want to be part of this stupid Clan anyways!"

The tabby medicine cat was stung. "Rosepaw…"

"This…_Clan_ has been lying to me for my whole _life_!"

Cloverleaf was growing irritated. "This _Clan_ has been taking care of you your whole life, plus, I didn't tell you for your own good."

"_I_?" Rosepaw hissed. "_You_ are the only one that knows?"

The medicine cat nodded.

The white cat spat. "You didn't tell me for my own good? You aren't my _mother_, Cloverleaf!"

"Don't get smart with me, Rosepaw!" The light brown tabby she-cat snarled, her green eyes blazing.

"Too bad! I already _did_!" Without another word, Rosepaw stormed out of the den, the pain that brought her there gone. _I'm going to run away, _she thought, _I'm going to run away with Lostpaw. _

She then chuckled at her own dark humor._ Then I can really be a rogue, like my _father_. _As she neared the entrance of the camp, she caught sight of Eaglepaw and Firepaw. They were padding towards the medicine cat den, Firepaw yowling in pain.

Ignoring the tom's pitiful mewls, she turned to leave, but then something held her back. Guilt.

_I shouldn't have told that witch about Eaglepaw, _she thought. _He'll get in so much trouble._ She glanced over her shoulder at the brown tom. He was trying to get Firepaw to enter the den, but the tom was reluctant.

The white she-cat padded up towards them, her head low.

"Hey, Eaglepaw," she mewed as the toms' heads swiveled towards her, "can I talk to you?"

"Rosepaw? What's going on?" Eaglepaw blinked his amber eyes at her.

"It's private." She looked at Firepaw, who gave a pitiful whine.

Eaglepaw nodded and turned to Firepaw. "Go inside, Firepaw. She'll make it all better."

"But she's no Spottedleaf," the russet-red tom argued.

"Who_ cares_?" Rosepaw growled. "Just go inside before I claw your eyes out and feed them to the crows."

Firepaw stared at her in fear and quickly slipped inside the lichen-covered entrance.

"I think you scared him," Eaglepaw told her.

Rosepaw shrugged. "Isn't he the great Firestar? He shouldn't be scared of_ anything_."

Eaglepaw chuckled and nodded. "True. _Very_ true." He then flicked his ears. "So…you wanted to tell me something?"

The white she-cat sighed. "Yes."

"Well," the tom mewed, "why don't you ask Heatherpaw?"

The hairs on Rosepaw's pelt stood on end when he said her former friend's name.

"She's right over there, talking to Icefang." Eaglepaw pointed to the cats with his tail. Rosepaw dared to look, but as soon as she saw them, they took off in a flash.

"Um…" Eaglepaw sounded confused. "I guess they're playing tag?"

Rosepaw stared at the apprentice. "Tag? _Icefang_?"

The brown tom shrugged. "I guess not."

"Whatever," the white she-cat growled, "I need to talk to you about something. Something I'm not sure you will like."

Eaglepaw blinked in surprise. "What is it?"

"Cloverleaf knows…no, Cloverleaf _thinks_ you're my mate."

When she said the word 'mate', as if it was automatic, Eagelpaw's jaw dropped in shock. "W-what?"

Rosepaw's green eyes closed as she nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Why would she think that?" The tom's voice was shaky, but firm.

"Because…," Rosepaw stammered, "b-because I told her."

Eaglepaw froze. Every hair on his pelt was bristling. "W-what would Heatherpaw think of this?" He cried. "She knows I like her, but with this-"

"No!" Rosepaw quickly stopped him. "She knows you like her, and she knows what's going on. I want to tell you, but only if you will listen to me."

The tom narrowed his eyes. "Will you tell me_ everything_? I don't want anymore secrets from you, Rosepaw."

The white she-cat nodded. "Everything."

Eaglepaw nodded, sighing heavily.

Rosepaw then glanced at the medicine cat den, where she could hear Cloverleaf soothe Firepaw as he yowled in pain. Her nose crinkled in disgust.

"Let's go somewhere else," she growled, leaving the tom's side and padding towards the entrance of the camp.

Eaglepaw followed her, his tail drooping on the ground.


	23. Chapter 22

**A lot happens in this chapter. Read carefully, guys.**

**-Essence**

* * *

Chapter 22

Heatherpaw's fur bristled as Redfeather stepped forward, his amber eyes glinting.

"Tell me, Heatherpaw," he mewed angrily.

The apprentice looked around, desperate for a way to evade his pressing questions. Suddenly, Redfeather let out a screech and he tackled her to the ground.

Heatherpaw let out a cry of agony as her mentor's claws dug into her fur. She let out a sputter of disbelief as Redfeather snarled into her ear,

"Now that you're my apprentice, I expect that you'll follow my every command!"

Heatherpaw's heather-colored eyes flashed with fury. "I don't have to tell you if I don't want to!"

"You indignant little-"

Before the warrior can finish his insult, Heatherpaw swiped at his nose with one of her front paws, causing blood to spurt out of the tom's snout.

"Argh!" Redfeather hissed as he shook his head, trying to clear away the pain.

Heatherpaw writhed around under his iron grip, but he held her steadily. She glared at him, an uneasy silence coming over the two cats.

"Why are you attacking me?" She asked him angrily.

Redfeather's bloody nostrils flared, but he said nothing. He lashed his tail and looked away, a sudden sigh escaping from his lips.

Heatherpaw has never seen this side of the usually placid tom before. All affection she ever had for him shattered into a million pieces. She bared her teeth and growled.

"Let me go," she mewed, "or-"

Suddenly, Redfeather let out a gargled sound. He was trembling violently, his fur bristling. His amber pupils were dilated and his tail was lashing wildly.

The apprentice let out a shriek as Redfeather leaped off of her. She heard his grunts as he ran around in circles, almost as if he was in some sort of wild fit.

"Redfeather!" she cried out, managing to get up on her four paws again. She watched as the young warrior ran up a nearby tree, only to jump back down it again. Has he gone crazy?

Heatherpaw called his name again, this time louder. She let out a gasp as Redfeather stopped, his breaths coming out in short spasms. He turned to look at her, his eyes strangely uncoordinated and dazed.

The light brown apprentice barely noticed the russet red flash of his fur as he charged past her and crashed into a nearby tree, causing an explosion of leaves to fall around them. Redfeather was knocked unconscious, blood welling up from a wound in his head.

Heatherpaw hurried to his side, her heart racing in alarm. Was he dead? She could tell he was still breathing, but something told her the blood gushing from his head wound was gravely serious.

Suddenly, Redfeather's dusty russet-red coat turned a clean black-white. His head lifted for a moment, and his amber eyes flew open. Heatherpaw stepped back, having experienced this before.

Swiftpaw floated out of the warrior's body, the spirit looking as transparent as ever. Redfeather's head dropped back to the ground with a soft thud and his fur returned to its normal color. The warrior was himself again, though still unconscious and bleeding.

"Swiftpaw!" Heatherpaw growled, unsheathing her claws. "What did you do to him?"

"He attacked you!" The tom answered back, his voice sounding defeated. "I…I was wrong…"

"Wrong about what?" The light brown tabby she-cat was impatient.

Swiftpaw just looked at her, his amber eyes dull. "This cat you trusted…this…_warrior_. He's not who you think he is."

Heatherpaw turned away from him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The dead cat closed his eyes and sighed. "His thoughts are not…what you think they are-"

"_Swiftpaw_,"

Heatherpaw turned back to him, her eyes steely and unmoving. "If you've got something to say, why don't you just say it? I'm tired of your secrets."

The black and white tom lashed his tail. "If you were paying attention, _Heatherpaw_," he hissed, "those _secrets_ may not be so secret at all."

Heatherpaw's fur bristled. "What are you trying to say?"

Swiftpaw just stared at her and shook his head, his eyes never leaving her face. "There is nothing worse than a blind cat not wanting to see," he mewed, lowering his gaze.

The she-cat stepped towards the transparent tom, her claws unsheathed. She knew they wouldn't be of any use, but she wanted to be reminded that Swiftpaw was the one that was dead, not her.

Before she could get any closer, Swiftpaw walked away, his transparent form melting into the shadows. Heatherpaw gave a sigh of exasperation and whipped around to face Redfeather's limp body.

She felt her heart sink as she let her gaze rest on the warrior's bloody face. _Why did he attack me?_ She asked herself. _My mentor was attacking me with tooth and claw. _

She blinked at her sudden realization. _He wanted me to tell him about Swiftpaw_. _He doesn't like secrets…just like me…_

A light crunch behind her caused her to involuntarily jump in surprise. She turned around to face the cat she least expected to be there.

Foxpaw.

The she-cat's fur was bristling and her upper lip curled menacingly. "What did you _do_ to my brother?" she hissed, advancing towards the apprentice.

Heatherpaw backed away, her heather-colored eyes shadowing. "I didn't do_ anything_ to him."

Foxpaw stopped, lashing her tail. "I find that hard to believe."

"You better believe it, then."

This time, nothing stopped Foxpaw as she barreled into Heatherpaw, their angry screeches echoing through the vast forest.

Heatherpaw felt Foxpaw's sharp teeth sink into her injured shoulder and she gave an enraged yowl, digging her claws into the she-cat's soft underbelly.

"Let her go!"

The call was so loud that both the she-cats froze. Heatherpaw felt Foxpaw's staggered breaths as the she-cat let out a hiss. Heatherpaw couldn't see who it was that called out, but it sounded familiar.

"I said let her go, Foxpaw."

The she-cat reluctantly jumped off of the apprentice, giving a snort. "She deserves it."

Heatherpaw just lay there, letting her breath regain slowly. She gritted her teeth as her shoulder throbbed with pain.

"Get up, Heatherpaw."

She turned her head to see a sideways image of her father. He was next to Redfeather's body, his eyes narrowed. Owlfeather was next to him, along with Foxpaw, who was washing the dirt off her coat.

Heatherpaw looked down at her own fur, which was an even darker shade of brown than usual, due to the filth clinging to it. She twisted her body around in a sphinx-like position, wincing painfully. Getting up shakily, she faced the cats, her head drooping.

Raggedstorm's amber eyes narrowed as he stared at his daughter.

"Father," she pleaded, sensing his suspicion. "I can explain-"

"There's no need for it," he mewed, "Redfeather can explain when he wakes up."

Heatherpaw looked at the russet-red form lying next to the light brown tabby's paws. A groan was heard and Redfeather shifted, his amber eyes slowly opening.

Owlfeather let out a growl. "Look who decided to show up," he grunted.

Redfeather groaned again and sat up, gritting his teeth as his wound started to bleed heavily.

_They're not suspicious of me,_ Heatherpaw thought,_ they're suspicious of _Redfeather. She looked at her father, who was moving protectively between her and the warrior.

"I'm telling you," Foxpaw suddenly growled, "Heatherpaw was the one who hurt him."

Owlfeather shook his dark brown head. "Shut up, Foxpaw."

The she-cat growled inaudibly and bowed her head.

Raggedstorm sniffed around Redfeather, as if he was examining him. "Just what I thought. RiverClan."

Heatherpaw blinked in disbelief._ RiverClan? _

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In that point of time, deep in the darkest part of the sky, two cats watched the scene. One of them was a pale white she-cat, the other a dark brown tabby tom. They were sitting in front of a pitch black pool. The she-cat let out a snort.

"Tigerstar has a way to choose cats, doesn't he?" she mewed sarcastically, wrapping her tail around her paws.

The tom narrowed his ice blue eyes, but said nothing.

The she-cat smirked and flicked her tail. "What's wrong, Hawkfrost? Mouse got your tongue?"

Hawkfrost gave her a sharp glare. "I don't like the way you're talking about my father."

"Oh," the she-cat mewed, "am I offending you?"

"Cut that out, Frostclaw," hissed Hawkfrost, "I don't have time for your silly comments."

"Silly, are they?" The she-cat named Frostclaw unsheathed her claws.

The tabby tom shook his head and turned away from her. "Redfeather wasn't exactly what Tigerstar and I had planned."

Frostclaw's green eyes glittered. "And my daughter was?"

"Your daughter…," Hawkfrost trailed off.

The white she-cat could see his hesitation. "Tigerstar has little influence over my dear Rosepaw," she mewed, the corners of her mouth turning upwards into a coy smile. "It seems she has a mind of her own."

"That she-cat's life is a complete mess," Hawkfrost growled. "No wonder Tigerstar switched host cats."

Frostclaw let out a hiss. "Don talk about her that way!"

"Your daughter is easily distracted, Frostclaw," the tom explained. "That RiverClan cat has changed her whole life."

Frostclaw shrugged. "I guess it runs in the family."

Hawkfrost's eyes glittered for a moment, and then it vanished. "We won't dwell on _your _lovelife, Frostclaw. There are more pressing matters to focus on."

The she-cat let out an amused purr. "Right, Hawkfrost."

The dark tabby tom gave her a smirk and looked down at his paws. His head then snapped upwards again, meeting Frostclaw's green eyes. "Tell me why that cat is in the living world again, Frostclaw."

Frostclaw's eyes flickered for a moment. "Swiftpaw?"

"Yes, him. That cat is a thorn stuck in my fur, not to mention my father's too."

"You and your father," Frostclaw purred. "Can you two give it a rest already? We are already dead and the forest belongs to the living. It is time to move on."

"Tell that to Swiftpaw, the very cat that stands in our way." Hawkfrost shook his head. "Him and the she-cat he chose to be his host."

Frostclaw blinked in surprise. He was right. Swiftpaw was down there for a reason. Contemplating on the past few moons, she remembered the black and white tom coming to StarClan, pleading to them for another chance…

She then shook her head, trying to clear away those thoughts. _StarClan is nothing here_, she thought, _this is the Dark Forest. We don't want any of their kind here._

"Frostclaw,"

Hawkfrost's mew broke through the she-cat's thoughts.

"Yes?"

"I've been thinking about what you said…" The tom bowed his head and sighed.

"And?"

Hawkfrost lifted his head to look at her again. "And you're right."

Frostclaw was caught by surprise. "I-I am?"

"There's no sense in coming back to the real world." He looked into her eyes, making her squirm uncomfortably.

Frostclaw gave him a small smile, despite her awkwardness.

"But," Hawkfrost sighed, causing Frostclaw to frown again. "There's a couple of things standing in our way."

"What is that?"

"Vengeance."

Frostclaw's green eyes glimmered. "I know how that feels. I want to rip apart my enemies too."

"But we have failed so many times, Frostclaw," mewed Hawkfrost, "I remember we tried to influence Brambleclaw's children-"

"And that didn't work out so well, did it?" The she-cat asked, flicking her tail.

"Obviously." Hawkfrost's icy gaze turned downcast again. With his tail, he touched the oozy, black water from the pool in front of them. An image started to form on the surface of the water. "Another thing standing in our way is this…"

Frostclaw stared into the pool as the image started to clear. When it did, she couldn't help but laugh. "That creep?"

Hawkfrost glared at the image of Firepaw, his fiery red coat standing out in the inky darkness of the pool's reflection. The tom's wounds were heavily bandaged as he slept, his small body rising and falling with each breath he took.

"Don't tell me he's really Firestar."

Hawkfrost's neck prickled at the sound of the great leader's name. "He is. Father sensed it when he was in your daughter."

Frostclaw's jaw dropped open in surprise. "No way."

Hawkfrost gave her a sideways glance as he touched the water with his tail again. "Tigerstar hates Firestar so much he wants to kill his reincarnation."

"Using my daughter?"

"That was the plan…but when Swiftpaw arrived, things…complicated."

Frostclaw's eyes narrowed. "He wants to kill Swiftpaw?"

Hawkfrost shook his head. "I don't know…I guess he has his own motives for that."

"When he gets back here, he's going to have quite a few questions to answer." Frostclaw yawned and flicked her tail lazily. The water's reflection now showed the stark white pelt of her daughter and the dark tabby pelt of Eaglepaw as they padded through the forest. Frostclaw's ears flicked forward in interest.

Hawkfrost shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just his son."

Frostclaw peeled her eyes from the image to glare at Hawkfrost. "And I'm…?"

"Just…a far kin."

"Kin, nonetheless. I'm as much related to him as you are." The she-cat's green eyes returned to the water's image. "Now shut up. Rosepaw's about to tell that tom everything."

Hawkfrost rolled his eyes. "This is going to get _very_ interesting…"


	24. Chapter 23

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**Read.**

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**-Essence**

* * *

Chapter 23

"…and that's it."

Eaglepaw stood there, his jaw open in sheer disbelief. "So Lostpaw's your…"

"Mate? Yes." Rosepaw blushed as she shuffled her paws in embarrassment. She then looked up at Eaglepaw again, her green eyes clouded. "I don't know what to do, Eaglepaw."

The tom shook his head, sighing heavily. "Why have you dragged me into this, Rosepaw?"

"Because you're the only one who could listen to me," she answered softly. "I can't trust Heatherpaw anymore."

"Why not?"

Rosepaw's eyes turned into two pieces of green flint. "She's been acting so…strangely these days. It's as if she hates me."

"Take a good look around, Rosepaw," Eaglepaw growled, his amber eyes narrowing. "_You're _the one who's been acting strangely."

The she-cat's neck bristled, thoroughly offended by his words. "Eaglepaw!"

"Don't you see?_ Heatherpaw's_ been the one trying to help you. There's more to the world than Rosepaw, you know!"

The apprentice bared her teeth, but that didn't seem to intimidate the ever-calm Eaglepaw. "So you're defending her now?"

"I'm just standing up for what's right, Rosepaw." The tom's eyes burned into hers. "Lostpaw is not the best cat for you. Trust me."

Rosepaw let out an angry screech. "_What?_"

Eaglepaw shrank back at her sudden hostility. "Rosepaw-"

"I love him, Eaglepaw. No one can ever take him away from me! You might not know it, but he loves me too!"

The brown tabby tom straightened his posture, his claws flexing in and out of their sheaths. Before he could say anything, Rosepaw continued.

"Have you seen how everyone treats me here in this Clan? Everyone sees me as my stupid mother! I'm not her, okay?"

"You're not the only one who feels that way!" Eaglepaw argued. "I'm being compared to my father every single day of my life!"

"At least your father was a _hero_, not a monster!" Rosepaw started to pace, her claws clicking together with every step she took. "Lostpaw loves me for who I am, not who I look like, and…I love him for that."

Eaglepaw narrowed his eyes.

"And just now," she chuckled darkly, "I found out Badgerfrost isn't even my real_ father_!"

Eaglepaw flinched, stung. He wasn't expecting that to come out of the pretty she-cat's mouth.

Rosepaw abruptly stopped pacing and looked at him, fire burning in her eyes. "I'm a daughter of a rogue, Eaglepaw. A _rogue_."

"Rosepaw, you're overreacting-"

"Why does everyone think I'm overreacting? I can't speak out? That's it. I've made up my mind." Rosepaw didn't even realize she said it until she did.

Eaglepaw cocked his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Rosepaw contemplated answering his question. In the end, she decided Eaglepaw needs to know. At least _one_ cat should know. "I'm leaving."

The tabby tom blinked. "Leaving? Leaving where?"

Rosepaw growled inwardly at his response. _Shouldn't he be a little more…_caring? She thought.

"Anywhere but here, Eaglepaw," she mewed, her voice like ice.

"Coward." Eaglepaw shifted his gaze from her face to the floor. "You choose to run away instead of facing your fears. You choose to be irrational when you know there's a way to solve everything-"

"How," Rosepaw cut in, "how do you suppose I 'solve everything'?"

"That's your job, Rosepaw." The tom's amber eyes shifted to meet hers. "Not mine."

The white apprentice lashed her tail, shaking her head. "I don't know what to do-"

"Start with Heatherpaw," suggested Eaglepaw. "She was once your best friend. Make amends with her…she'll understand-"

Rosepaw's eyes were like chips of flint. "Heatherpaw doesn't care about me anymore."

Eaglepaw let out a sigh. "That's your problem, Rosepaw. In your world there's you, you…and a little more you. Can't you care about someone else besides yourself?"

"Are you saying I'm self-centered?" Rosepaw asked, her teeth glinted as she curled her upper lip.

"Yes, Rosepaw. I'm saying just that."

Rosepaw's jaw dropped, her fur starting to tremble. The only cat she trusted in ThunderClan had now given her a fatal blow…straight into her heart. "E-Eaglepaw…"

The tom's eyes narrowed as he looked away. "If you're really leaving, Rosepaw…" He turned his head to look at her again. "I'm not stopping you."

Rosepaw blinked, suddenly indignant. "I wasn't expecting you to. Goodbye, Eaglepaw."

Eaglepaw didn't answer.

The white she-cat got up, flicking her tail. She half-expected Eaglepaw to object, saying that she was overreacting again, but he didn't. He was still as stone. Without another look back, she bounded into the forest, never to be seen on ThunderClan territory again.

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Heatherpaw looked up at her father, a question burning on her tongue. She never expected Redfeather to- no, it was_ impossible._ The tom she admired most, the one who never let her down…

"Help him up, Owlfeather." Raggedstorm, his tabby pelt ruffled, backed away to let the dark brown tabby tom support Redfeather. The warrior looked defeated, his head hanging low.

Heatherpaw shook her head in disbelief. "RiverClan? Redfeather, _why?_"

Redfeather's amber eyes stayed where they were. Looking at the ground, as if he was guilty. Blood leaked to the ground from the gash on his head, making the apprentice cringe in disgust.

Raggedstorm turned his eyes away from the pitiful tom and blinked at his daughter. "Heatherpaw, you can go now. I promise he won't bother you again."

Shrugging him off, the apprentice padded towards Redfeather's side, concern flickering in her heather-colored eyes.

"Back away," Owlfeather mewed gruffly, stopping Heatherpaw. "He's a traitor."

"How are you so sure?" Foxpaw suddenly growled, coming to her brother's defense. "I'm sure there's some explanation-"

"No," hissed Raggedstorm. He cut Foxpaw an angry glare and pushed Heatherpaw away from Redfeather with his shoulder. "Stay away from this," he told her firmly.

Heatherpaw vigorously shook her head. "There's something wrong with him, father. I know it."

"He's not safe. Listen to me, Heatherpaw." Raggedstorm nodded to Owlfeather, who nodded in return.

"I will take him," mewed Owlfeather, his deep voice full with resent. "Nightstar will have to deal with him." Without another word, he led Redfeather padded though the forest.

Foxpaw's green eyes glinted with anger as she got up.

"You will see that you are wrong," she growled, her smooth voice leaking with hostility. She darted into the vegetation after the two toms, her russet-red tail lashing behind her.

After she left, Raggedstorm shook his head. The tom let out a sigh and faced his daughter, who was glaring at him.

Heatherpaw, for once, hoped that Foxpaw was right. Redfeather couldn't be a traitor to the Clan. He was the only cat she knew that would stick with Nightstar the longest, despite her crazy antics.

Raggedstorm stared at her, his gaze unmoving. His light brown tabby pelt was ruffled, as if he slept and didn't bother to lick his fur flat.

"I was worried this will happen."

His soft mew confused Heatherpaw. "What do you mean?"

Raggedstorm looked down at the ground, nervously sheathing and unsheathing his paws. "I…I knew Redfeather was up to no good for a while-"

"And you told no one?" Heatherpaw was still with shock. "Not even mother?"

"What will your mother say?" Raggedstorm growled, lashing his tail. "'Go tell Nightstar, Raggedstorm. She knows best.'"

"You would've listened to her?" The apprentice narrowed her eyes.

The tom shuffled his paws. "No…not really. That was wrong of me to keep it a secret…but with a cat like Redfeather,"

He lifted his head to meet her eyes again.

"You never know what he will do until its too late."

Heatherpaw's head swam. "So…you aren't sure if he's a traitor?"

Raggedstorm shrugged. "It's better to be safe than sorry."

The light brown tabby she-cat frowned, shaking her head. "Father, Redfeather is loyal to the Clan-"

"How do you know?" he retorted, baring his teeth. "How can you be so sure?"

Heatherpaw blinked at him, flicking her tail against the ground. "I…I don't know…"

Raggedstorm nodded. "That's enough to prove my point. When I was on patrol once with Redfeather, we had to go near WindClan territory. After a while, I knew he wasn't paying attention to the patrolling. He was looking at the moors, a certain…longing in his eyes. I'm not sure what it was, but I knew it wasn't normal,"

Heatherpaw's frown grew bigger, not liking where this was going.

"And I asked him about it," Raggedstorm continued, "casually, you know. Redfeather just brushed me off, mumbling to himself. That's when I started to get suspicious. At first I thought I was just being nosy, but then I knew this was serious. Every patrol since then, he has been staring across those moors. I didn't say anything, fearing he will never want to patrol with me again."

"Why not?" Heatherpaw suddenly asked. "He would've understood-"

"Oh, naïve Heatherpaw. You only see what he is on the _outside_. I have known him ever since he was still a kit suckling from his mother. Foxpaw wasn't even born yet." The tabby tom had sat down, wrapping his tail around his paws.

Heatherpaw, however, remained standing, her eyes narrowed.

"One day after a long evening patrol, I came into the camp. I had brought some fresh-kill for your mother. She was pregnant with you, then. That's when I noticed Redfeather slip into the camp, in a sort of…daze. He was crashing into things, as if he ate catmint or something. I was about to go and help him, but before I could get to him, he slipped inside the warrior den. I wondered what happened to him and I followed him in…and guess what else followed us?"

Heatherpaw wasn't in the mood for guessing, so she remained quiet.

Her father gave her a puzzled look and continued, "a strange scent followed us in, Heatherpaw. RiverClan scent. From then on, I kept a close eye on him…until today. When I saw you and Redfeather, I knew what had to be done."

"But, Father-" Heatherpaw still wasn't convinced Redfeather would do such a heinous crime as to betray the Clan.

"No one hurts you if I can help it," he growled, digging his sharp claws into the ground.

Heatherpaw almost laughed. "Since when have you cared so much about me, Raggedstorm?"

He gave her another puzzled look. "You are my daughter. I am supposed to watch over you."

Heatherpaw gave him a disbelieving look. "Where were you when I needed you…_father_?"

Raggedstorm's amber eyes narrowed. "I'm wasting my time. I need to go." Before Heatherpaw could say anything else, he got up, turned around and padded into the forest.

The apprentice cocked her head, Swiftpaw's voice suddenly ringing in her head. _He's not who you think he is…_

Heatherpaw straightened her back, digging her claws into the earth. Padding into the undergrowth, she growled to herself,

"Shut up, Swiftpaw. Redfeather's innocent. I know he is."

She didn't look back as she disappeared into the forest, darkness descending upon the ThunderClan territory.


	25. Chapter 24

**Here's chapter 24! Sorry for the long wait (again for, like, the 4th time.)**

**Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

**-Essence**

* * *

Chapter 24

In the RiverClan camp, Lostpaw was grooming himself outside the apprentice's den, his sleek, black coat shining in the morning sun. He felt like he could do anything. Rosepaw was now officially his mate. He had been dreaming about the previous night ever since he met the she-cat while he was sneaking around the WindClan territory a long time ago.

He sighed as he reminisced about that fateful day. Her white pelt was as beautiful as ever. She had just been named an apprentice, according to what she told him. He laughed at her name and told her only a fool would name their kit 'Rosepaw'. He remembered her face as clearly as day. Her white pelt turned bright pink with anger and she retorted that only a mouse brain would name their kit "Lostpaw".

Their friendship started there and then. Lostpaw always crossed the WindClan to see her, never once getting caught. Somewhere along those trips he found a rose bush and, painfully, gathered a few in his jaws and brought them to Rosepaw. She thought at first he was trying to kill her because of the thorns, but he laughed and told her they were her namesake.

Lostpaw would never forget how she blushed as she licked him. It was a shy gesture, but that's when Lostpaw truly fell in love with the she-cat. He knew it was forbidden, but he didn't care. Love knew no boundaries.

Suddenly, a nudge sent him back to reality. Goldenpaw was next to him, her light brown pelt softly brushing against his. With a low growl, he scooted away from her.

"What's up?" Goldenpaw asked him, her amber eyes glittering.

Lostpaw flattened his ears against his head. "Nothing," he murmured, wrapping his tail tightly around his paws.

Goldenpaw, however, seemed unfazed. "What's wrong? You look depressed."

The black tom tried hard not to laugh out loud. Depressed? He's _far_ from depressed. "I'm just…thinking, Goldenpaw."

The she-cat cocked her head to the side. "Thinking about what, Lostpaw?"

Lostpaw growled inwardly. Why does Goldenpaw have to be so annoying sometimes? "Thinking about…you know…stuff."

"There's a lot of stuff, Lostpaw." The light brown apprentice shifted closer to him, much to his irritation. "Be specific."

"I don't feel like telling you." Lostpaw was happy with her reaction. Shock.

"I thought we were friends, Lostpaw," Goldenpaw whined. "Why won't you tell me what's on your mind?"

The black tom's blue eyes glittered with indignation as he replied, "Because, Goldenpaw,_ I_ _don't feel like it_."

Goldenpaw's ears flattened against her head as she hissed, "Fine. Suit yourself. I was _trying _to be nice, but you had to ruin it. Goodbye." Spitting at Lostpaw, she whirled around and stalked into the apprentice's den.

"Goodbye," murmured Lostpaw, shaking his head.

It was barely a moment before Ravenstar limped towards him, her amber eyes narrowed.

"Mother," Lostpaw started.

"Hush," Ravenstar growled, her voice barely a whisper. She licked his forehead and asked, "While you were in ThunderClan, did you learn anything?"

Lostpaw blinked his blue eyes at her. "Learn anything?"

The RiverClan leader nodded. "Yes. Any Clan secret will help us." She then frowned. "That little ThunderClan rat should be here soon…" It was too low for Lostpaw to hear.

The apprentice shook his head. "No, I didn't hear anything, Ravenstar."

Ravenstar let out a hiss of disappointment. "What a shame." She sat herself next to him, curling her tail over her paws.

"What's wrong?" Lostpaw asked her.

Ravenstar turned to look at her son. She shook her head and sighed. "Everything. I lost a life yesterday."

"How?" The black apprentice sounded shocked.

"That filthy little ThunderClan apprentice fed deathberries to me."

"Who?"

Ravenstar shrugged. "I don't know. Featherpaw, Tetherpaw-"

_Heatherpaw,_ thought Lostpaw angrily, his claws digging angrily into the ground.

"It was something like that. We had her prisoner for a while and when I had my back turned, she put deathberries in a fish she knew I was going to eat."

"How did she know you were going to eat it?" Lostpaw asked her.

"How would I know?" Ravenstar growled. "ThunderClan cats are a strange bunch. I wouldn't be surprised if they started flying."

The apprentice had to stifle a laugh.

Suddenly, a cough sounded above him. Lostpaw looked up to see Rowanfang, his dazed blue eyes staring at Ravenstar. The leader let out a sigh.

"What is it, Rowanfang?"

The russet-red tom didn't answer, but just kept staring, his blue eyes unmoving.

Lostpaw felt uncomfortable under the warrior's azure gaze. _If ThunderClan is a weird bunch,_ he thought, _Rowanfang should join them. He's _beyond_ weird!_

"Talk, Rowanfang," Ravenstar growled. "Or else you won't be_ able_ to."

"WindClan," the tom whispered. "WindClan and ShadowClan."

Ravenstar quickly sat up, her ears pricked forward. "What? Are they attacking?"

Rowanfang shook his head. "WindClan and ShadowClan," he repeated.

"What in StarClan's name are you saying?" Ravenstar spat angrily. "Go see Jaggedtooth. He'll know what to do with you."

"WindClan and ShadowClan."

Lostpaw noticed the tom's blue eyes were glinting uncertainly. He wondered if he meant more than he was saying…

"Shut up and go bother someone else!" hissed Ravenstar.

Rowanfang turned around, mumbling to himself and walked away.

Lostpaw flattened his ears, feeling a bit of pity for the tom.

"I wonder why I even bothered making him a warrior," mewed the leader, shaking her head. "He was never like this when he was an apprentice-"

"Look," Lostpaw suddenly growled. Rowanfang was leaving the camp, still mumbling to himself.

"So he leaves the camp. That will be one less bumbling fool around here," Ravenstar growled.

Lostpaw blinked. He didn't think Rowanfang was just 'bumbling'. He knew something was wrong and he was trying to tell Ravenstar in the best way he could.

"I have to go and talk to Spottedfur," Ravenstar meowed and gave Lostpaw a gentle lick. "She has been talking to me about your warrior ceremony."

"Really?" Lostpaw's fur prickled with excitement.

"Yes." Ravenstar gazed at her kit, her amber eyes full of pride. "I know you will be the best warrior RiverClan has ever seen."

Lostpaw nodded, a smile forming on his handsome muzzle.

Without another word, she left him. The tom was about to resume grooming himself when a sharp hiss sounded from behind him. He turned around to see who it was, but to his surprise, no one was there.

"Hey!"

He recognized the voice. It was Rosepaw! He looked around.

"Where are you?" he whispered.

Rosepaw's head poked out from the brambles that protected the camp. She looked up at him with determined green eyes.

"How'd you get here-"

"Nevermind that," she hissed. "We need to talk."

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ShadowClan was their ally now. Batwing couldn't believe it. He padded out of the RiverClan territory, gingerly stepping over the border.

His clanmates surrounded him as their ShadowClan escort bounded back into the forest. Batwing wasn't sure if RiverClan patrols were out, but their escort seemed to know his way around the RiverClan territory pretty well.

"That was…strange," Sparrowflight mewed, shaking her pelt.

"Yeah," Hawkflight growled. "Who'd ever thought _we _would be asking _ShadowClan_ for help?"

"I don't know," Batwing told his clanmates. "Let's just hurry back to camp. Graystar's waiting for us."

"I doubt it," Hawkflight snorted.

Batwing shot him a glare before plunging into the WindClan territory. Sparrowflight and Hawkflight were at his heels, and it was not long until they were at the camp's entrance. Batwing and the others slipped through.

The deputy watched Sparrowflight and Hawkflight disappear into the warrior's den for a well-deserved rest after their long trek. Batwing looked at Graystar's den, taking a deep breath.

Before he could reach the den, however, a black shape blurred his vision. It was his daughter, Spiderpaw.

"Hi, Daddy!" she chirped, her tail lashing.

"Spiderpaw, don't you have to clean the elder's bedding or something?" Batwing asked, desperate to get rid of her.

"No," she mewed. "Cardinalpaw is doing that."

Batwing narrowed his eyes. Cardinalpaw was a true and dedicated apprentice and he would have probably been tricked by Spiderpaw to do the task. He spotted the russet-red apprentice outside of the den, a wad of mass in his jaws.

"Just go away, Spiderpaw," the deputy growled to his daughter, brushing past her.

He tried to ignore her whining as he slithered into Graystar's den. The leader was sleeping…as usual.

"Graystar," Batwing growled impatiently.

The leader awoke with a jump. He glared at Batwing, his tail lashing angrily.

"I was chasing a pretty fat rabbit before you so _rudely _woke me," he growled, sitting up.

Batwing was unfazed. "I'm sorry," he mewed flatly.

Graystar narrowed his amber eyes. "So? What have you come to bother me _again _for?"

"ShadowClan has agreed to be our ally."

Graystar's eyes widened. "Oh yes! I almost forgot about that!"

Batwing couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"So Snakestar's our ally now, huh? We can attack RiverClan now!"

Batwing blinked in surprise. "But Graystar-"

"RiverClan has had enough on trampling on our territory. Now we can go and trample on _theirs_!"

"And ThunderClan?"

Graystar looked at him. "ThunderClan? ThunderClan has nothing to do with this. It's _RiverClan _we're after!"

Batwing gulped uncertainly. He had told Snakestar they were also after ThunderClan! What has he gotten himself into?

The gray RiverClan leader let out a yawn and shook his head. "I'll think about the attack…" He lowered his head to his paws. "Tomorrow…"

Batwing lashed his black tail and stormed out of the den, wishing Graystar would just fall dead so _he _can be leader.

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Heatherpaw followed the group back to ThunderClan camp. Her paws felt like deadweights, but she didn't feel like sleeping. She spotted Eaglepaw eating a sparrow near the fresh-kill pile and she padded up to him. Raggedstorm and the others padded towards Cloverleaf's den.

The tomcat didn't look up at her, instead kept on chewing thoughtfully.

"Eaglepaw?" she asked uncertainly.

He looked up at her.

"Can I join you?" She felt hunger claw at her belly.

Eaglepaw nodded, pushing a squirrel towards her with a paw. She gratefully accepted it and began to eat.

They ate in silence for a while. Heatherpaw noticed Raggedstorm and Owlfeather padding out of Cloverleaf's den. They had somber faces as they headed towards the warrior den.

"So," Eaglepaw mewed, snapping her attention back to him. "What's going on?"

Heatherpaw looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Redfeather looked like all of ShadowClan attacked him."

"Oh." Heatherpaw looked down at her half-eaten squirrel. She wasn't sure if she should tell Eaglepaw about it, but she figured she should.

"Redfeather betrayed us to RiverClan."

"What?" Eaglepaw dropped the meat he was eating. "Redfeather did _what_?"

"He…betrayed us," she choked. "I never knew he would do such a thing."

"Me neither. So what will happen to him now?"

Heatherpaw shrugged. "Who knows?"

Eaglepaw shook his head. "ThunderClan is falling apart. Rosepaw's leaving-"

Now it was Heatherpaw's turn to be shocked. "What?"

"She said she had enough. She was going to run away with Lostpaw."

The brown tabby she-cat shook her head, grief clouding her mind. "I thought she was smarter than that."

"She mated with him too," Eaglepaw growled. "Just last night."

Heatherpaw closed her eyes. "And to think she was my friend-"

"Friends can change in a blink of an eye," the tom mewed. His amber eyes were dull with sadness as he gazed into hers.

Heatherpaw noticed the sorrow in his voice. "What's wrong, Eaglepaw?"

"I wish you would tell me everything," he whispered. "I feel as if you're holding something from me."

Heatherpaw flicked her ears. _Could he know about Swiftpaw?_ She thought, her heart starting to pound against her chest.

"Don't be afraid to tell me the truth." Eaglepaw was licking the blood off his paws.

Heatherpaw stared down again at her squirrel. Suddenly, she didn't feel like eating. She looked up again at Eaglepaw and found the tom was staring at her too.

"Come with me," she growled, getting up. "I need to show you something."


	26. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25!**

**w00t! It's a fairly long chapter! A little confusing, but still good! :D**

**-Essence**

* * *

Chapter 25

Rosepaw impatiently kneaded the ground with her paws, waiting for Lostpaw to come meet her. Her eyes darted around, warily keeping an eye out for RiverClan warriors. She was in a bush, well-hidden from any enemies.

She could see a warrior standing guard at the entrance. It was a silver-colored she-cat. She had to stifle a sigh of relief as Lostpaw padded up to the she-cat. He was here at last. The black tom dipped his head respectfully to the she-cat and murmured a few words.

The she-cat's pelt bristled, as if Lostpaw's words offended her. Rosepaw's claws slid out of their sheaths, ready to come to Lostpaw's aid if the she-cat should attack him.

Lostpaw, however, remained as calm as ever. He then growled to the she-cat, eventually causing her to relax. The apprentice brushed past her, slipping outside of the entrance. Rosepaw couldn't see the warrior's face really well, but she could see her blazing ice blue eyes from her hiding place.

Lostpaw took a few steps forwards, his paws making soft crunching noises against the earth-worn ground. He opened his mouth, tasting the air.

"Rosepaw?" he asked.

"Over here," she replied, poking her head out of the bush. "We need to go somewhere where no one can see us."

Lostpaw thought for a moment, his blue eyes closing. He then opened them with a new intensity. "Follow me. Stay close, for there's a hunting patrol out."

Rosepaw nodded and slipped out of the bush. She followed him as he led her out of the camp's vicinity. She felt exposed, her white pelt highly contrasting against the dark forest. Lostpaw melted perfectly with the background, making him almost invisible. She pressed close to him, feeling a sort of comfort from his body warmth.

"We're almost there," Lostpaw mewed.

"Where is it?" Rosepaw asked him, panting. She wasn't used to traveling this far.

Lostpaw guided her around some uprooted trees and jumped over a log. "This is the edge of our territory. Nobody ever goes here."

Rosepaw flattened her ears. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Lostpaw abruptly stopped, his ears pricked and mouth open.

"Why'd you stop for-"

"Shh!" he hissed, pushing her into the surrounding undergrowth. She landed with a grunt as he looked around, his senses alert.

"I hear something." Lostpaw took a few steps forward.

Rosepaw flattened herself against the ground, trying hard not to be visible. Lostpaw must have scented a cat. She watched him as he growled,

"Stupid Moonfur. Why does she have to snitch about _everything_?"

Rosepaw figured that was the silver warrior's name.

Suddenly, a rustle sounded from Lostpaw's side and a cat slipped out. It was Spottedfur, his mentor. Another cat slipped next to him. Rosepaw recognized him immediately. It was Shadeclaw, the notorious RiverClan warrior. A last cat appeared next to them, but Rosepaw couldn't recognize who it was. The tom had a dazed expression on his face.

"Lostpaw," Spottedfur growled, her deep feminine voice calm and steady. "What are you doing _this_ far from the territory?"

The apprentice blinked.

Rosepaw guessed this was the hunting patrol Lostpaw was warning her about.

Spottedfur let out a sniff. "I smell ThunderClan," she growled, her spotted fur starting to bristle.

"ThunderClan?" Shadeclaw asked. "What does ThunderClan have to-"

"Shh!" Spottedfur hissed at him. "Listen."

Rosepaw's heart beat so hard she swore Spottedfur was listening to that. Instead, the last cat she didn't know the name of was starting to murmur something.

Lostpaw blinked again. "Rowanfang?"

"Shh!" the RiverClan deputy hissed again. "He's trying to tell us something."

Rosepaw had to strain her ears to catch what the warrior was saying.

"Swift paws will make for fresh kill," the russet-red tom growled ominously, his clouded blue eyes closing. "Legends will descend and a Clan will fall under their paws."

"_What_?" Spottedfur screeched. "ShadowClan and WindClan, and now _this_? What is this, some sort of a joke, Rowanfang?"

Lostpaw edged closer to Rosepaw as Shadeclaw mewed,

"Maybe it's a prophecy."

Spottedfur gave him a hard cuff to his ear, causing him to draw back. "Prophecies?" she hissed. "Prophecies are for mouse brains, like Rowanfang."

Rosepaw half-expected Rowanfang to hiss at that, but the warrior stood still. He kept repeating the same phrase over and over, as if he was trying to memorize it. She fidgeted uncomfortably. Lostpaw noticed her agitation, and growled,

"I was just hunting-"

Spottedfur glared at him. "You should know better than to go to _this _part of the territory." She glanced at Rowanfang, who started to pad away. Shadeclaw let out a hiss and followed him.

"Those are just stupid superstitions," Lostpaw growled. "There is no way-"

"Leave here, Lostpaw," the deputy growled. "And I will demand an explanation of yourself at the camp."

_Apparently she forgot about the ThunderClan scent,_ Rosepaw thought, a bit relieved. However, she was unnerved by Rowanfang's ominous phrase. _He's just crazy, Rosepaw,_ she scolded herself. _That was nothing more than a random babbling._

Spottedfur left Lostpaw, muttering to herself. The apprentice softly exhaled, as if he had been holding his breath.

"That was close," he murmured, turning to Rosepaw. "You can come out now."

The white she-cat stepped out of the undergrowth, shaking her pelt to get rid of the filth. "What was_ that_?" she asked him, giving her coat a lick.

"It was just Rowanfang," sighed Lostpaw, sitting down.

"Who?"

"He's not…normal. Ever since he was born he had been a muttering fool. Only StarClan knows why Ravenstar made him a warrior."

Rosepaw shook her head. "It doesn't surprise me. Ravenstar can be a muttering fool herself."

Lostpaw let out an amused purr. "Yeah. I'm glad I don't take after her."

Rosepaw gazed tenderly at him, her green eyes soft. "What is this superstition you mentioned to Spottedfur?"

Lostpaw closed his blue eyes. "It's not really important-"

"Tell me. I'm curious."

The black apprentice let out a sigh. "Not too long ago a cat was living here, in the edge of our territory. He lived in an old stump. He was an old cat, old enough to be an elder. One day one of our patrols found him talking to a rabbit."

"Talking to a rabbit?" Rosepaw was dumbfounded at the notion of talking to prey.

"Yes. He was _talking _to it. This was when my mother was barely a leader here. She was leading this patrol and she noticed this loner talking to a rabbit."

Rosepaw flicked her ears. She could already imagine what Ravenstar would do to a cat like that.

"At first Ravenstar didn't know what to make of him, but then, a warrior next to her sneered at the loner, calling him 'a piece of foxdung'. I don't remember his name. Then he started to choke."

"Choke?"

"Yes, choke. Ravenstar panicked and so did the other warriors. The loner, however, remained calm. The rabbit he was talking to bounded away. Ravenstar started to yell at him as the warrior choked. The loner just shook his head, ignoring her."

"What did Ravenstar do?" Rosepaw asked eagerly. "Did she kill him?"

"No. Not quite. Before my mother could lay a claw on him, the loner started to mutter some words. I think it was 'I will come back for my revenge' or something. Then my mother killed him. At almost the same time, the rabbit came back, leading a fox with it. The fox attacked and killed the choking warrior."

"Wow," Rosepaw breathed. "So the loner had his revenge?"

"Maybe," Lostpaw mewed. "Some cats believe his spirit haunts this part of the forest, but I don't believe in such foolery."

Rosepaw blinked at him. "Is that why RiverClan avoids this part of the forest?"

"Yes."

"And Ravenstar still remembers it?"

Lostpaw nodded. "It's clear that she does, but she denies everything."

Rosepaw let out a snort. "That's more like the Ravenstar _I _know."

The RiverClan apprentice then flicked his tail, his blue eyes unmoving. "What did you want to talk to me about, Rosepaw?"

Rosepaw closed her eyes for a moment, and then opened them again. "I want to run away with you."

"So soon?" Lostpaw was dumbfounded. "I thought we were going to talk about this at the LostTree-"

"No." The white she-cat's mew was stern. "I want to go_ now_."

Lostpaw gave her fur a lick. "Alright, Rosepaw. If you think it's best-"

"Yes," Rosepaw breathed. "I want to be with you forever."

"Are you sure about this?"

The ThunderClan apprentice nodded. "More than you know."

Lostpaw blinked, a smile creeping over his face. "Was it something I did last night?"

Rosepaw noticed his coy undertone and she licked his ear. "No. I was just thinking about it and…I realized I need you more than anything else."

Lostpaw purred. "I love you."

Rosepaw brushed her pelt against his. "I love you too."

Together, they crossed the RiverClan border and bounded into the unknown.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Heatherpaw led Eaglepaw into the forest, her light brown tabby pelt lightly brushing against his. She felt his hot breath on her flank and she shivered involuntarily. Reaching the clearing where she first spotted Swiftpaw, she closed her eyes and stopped.

_Swiftpaw,_ she called out into the forest with her thoughts. _I know you're there. Come out where I can see you._

There was no response.

She narrowed her eyes. Was he mad at her? It must have been what she had said when she last seen him. She dug her claws into the earth in her frustration.

"What am I supposed to see?" Eaglepaw mewed.

Heatherpaw ignored him and took a few steps forward. Her ears flicked forward as she tried to detect the familiar draft of air. _Swiftpaw? Are you angry with me?_

"Maybe."

She turned around and came face-to-face with the ghostly cat. His amber eyes were narrowed darkly and his tail wrapped tightly around his paws as he sat.

"What is _he _doing here?" he asked her, pointing with his snout to the unaware Eaglepaw. The tom was looking at Heatherpaw, a confused expression on his face.

"Eaglepaw, this is Swiftpaw," the she-cat mewed, pointing to the black-and-white cat with her tail.

Swiftpaw let out an exasperated sigh.

"Who?" Eaglepaw asked, looking to where Heatherpaw was pointing at.

"He can't see me, mousebrain," growled Swiftpaw to her. "I thought I explained this to you already."

Heatherpaw turned to Eaglepaw, her tail lashing. "You can't see him, Eaglepaw. He's a spirit."

Eaglepaw turned his amber eyes towards her. "A spirit?"

Swiftpaw let out another exasperated sigh. "Where are you trying to go with this, Heatherpaw?" he growled to her.

"He's been following me around," Heatherpaw explained to Eaglepaw. "He's the reason I have this mark on my face."

"Is he a StarClan cat?" Eaglepaw asked.

Swiftpaw flinched. He was afraid of that.

"Not quite," mewed Heatherpaw, her tabby tail sweeping the air around Swiftpaw. "He's neither StarClan nor the Place of No Stars."

Eaglepaw looked even more baffled than before. "So…why has this cat been following you?"

Heatherpaw shot a glare at Swiftpaw. "He won't tell me."

"Oh," Eaglepaw growled. "That makes perfect sense."

Swiftpaw sighed. "I can't tell you yet, Heatherpaw. It's too soon."

Eaglepaw twitched his ears. "Did he say something?"

Heatherpaw shook her head, causing Swiftpaw to give an angry hiss. "He's strangely quiet."

"Why can't I see him?" the brown tom asked her.

The she-cat opened her mouth to say something but Swiftpaw interrupted her,

"Maybe you're not good enough to see my handsome-"

"I don't know why," Heatherpaw growled before Swiftpaw can say any more. "I guess he only wants _me _to see him." She gave the spirit a scathing glare.

Eaglepaw blinked, his amber eyes twinkling with confusion. "So is he the reason you're so distracted?"

"Yeah," Heatherpaw mewed. Swiftpaw gave her a smug look and she ignored him. "He gets annoying sometimes."

"Did you hear that, Swiftpaw?" Eaglepaw called out loudly, his voice echoing through the trees. "Stop annoying her!"

Swiftpaw flattened his ears. "I'm right_ here_, mousebrain," he growled bitterly.

"I don't think he heard you," Heatherpaw mewed sheepishly. Swiftpaw lashed his tail angrily, his transparent coat starting to bristle.

Eaglepaw puffed his chest to call out again, but Heatherpaw put her tail on her mouth before he can do it. "That's good, Eaglepaw," she mewed gently, "I think he got the message."

The brown tabby apprentice deflated with a huff. "Was he a ThunderClan apprentice?" he asked her.

"The greatest!" murmured Swiftpaw, his claws unsheathing.

"Yes," Heatherpaw answered Eaglepaw, sitting down. "In fact," she mewed, wrapping her tail around her paws. "He says you are a great apprentice, even greater than _he_ was."

"Hey!" hissed the ghostly tom angrily.

"Really?" Eaglepaw whispered. "He said that?"

"No-"

"Yes," Heatherpaw cut off Swiftpaw's mew. "He wants you to show him some of your battle moves."

"I don't want to see any stinkin' battle moves," grumbled Swiftpaw, his amber eyes blazing.

"Okay," Eaglepaw mewed, a bit uncertainly. He got up and stretched his limbs. "But I need someone to-"

"I'll do it." Heatherpaw got up and lashed her tail, casting Eaglepaw a playful look. "Are you watching, Swiftpaw?"

"No." Swiftpaw squeezed his eyes shut.

Heatherpaw ignored him and got into a battle stance, her paws kneading against the ground. She watched Eaglepaw's eyes light up curiously as he got ready.

"Are you ready-"

His words were cut off as Heatherpaw tackled him to the ground. He let out a grunt as she nipped him playfully in his ear. Her paws pinned him by his chest and her tail lashed around wildly.

"Too slow!" she laughed at him.

Eaglepaw let out a playful growl and pushed her off.

Swiftpaw yawned with boredom. "What am I even doing here?" he growled to himself. "This is boring." Yet, as he watched the two apprentices play-fight, his pelt prickled with jealousy.

_Why did I have to die?_ Swiftpaw wailed inwardly.

Eaglepaw caught Heatherpaw's hind leg and tripped her, causing her to fall to the ground. Before she could recuperate her balance, he jumped on her. The brown tabby tom let out a chuckle as Heatherpaw struggled under his grip.

"Okay, okay," she breathed. "You beat me." She looked into his kind, knowing amber eyes and she suddenly felt like she would melt under his warm gaze. Maybe she_ did_ like the tom. Could there be a chance-

With a hiss, Swiftpaw disappeared, leaving the two cats alone.


	27. Chapter 26

**New chapter!**

**Sorry for the wait, blah blah (you know, the usual crap I give you as an excuse).**

**:P**

**-Essence**

* * *

Chapter 26

Nightstar padded out of her den, her black coat shining in the sun. She had felt a bit stronger after the battle, knowing she had defeated her malicious sister for the first time in her leadership. The ThunderClan leader knew Ravenstar would come back for more.

Nightstar's claws flexed at that thought. _I will be waiting for her with open claws,_ she thought angrily.

Suddenly she felt a sharp prod to her flank. She turned around and faced Badgerfrost, her deputy.

"Badgerfrost? What's wrong?" she asked once she noticed the grim expression in the tom's face.

"It's Rosepaw," he growled. "I can't find her anywhere." His amber eyes narrowed as the leader shook her head.

"Don't worry, Badgerfrost," she mewed. "She has to be around here. Why do you want to see her?"

Badgerfrost sighed. "Maybe because she's my _daughter. _I need to tell her something really important that she should've known a long time ago."

Nightstar flicked her ears. "What is it?" she asked him. She, being her usual nosy self, always poked around Badgerfrost's business, despite the deputy's growing annoyance.

"It's a secret, Nightstar," the black-and-white tom responded through gritted teeth.

"I'm your leader, Badgerfrost," Nightstar growled. "Tell me."

Badgerfrost blinked and shook his head, deciding Nightstar wouldn't be able to help him. He turned around and left her, heading for the entrance of the camp.

The ThunderClan shrugged, figuring Badgerfrost's secret wasn't her concern after all. She _wouldn't let the grim deputy ruin her mood as she padded towards the fresh-kill pile. _

_It's well-stocked,_ she thought happily. The prey was abundant, with much to choose from. _Badgerfrost must have sent out extra hunting patrols after the battle to re-stock it._

Involuntarily, she glanced at the apprentice's den.

_Remember, Nightstar,_ she growled to herself_. Heatherpaw's not your apprentice anymore._

With a pang of sadness, she chose a plump sparrow, its feathers sticking to her black fur as she bit into it. Her happy disposition had disappeared with the thought of Heatherpaw and she closed her eyes, giving in to her somber mood.

_I had failed her,_ she thought. _She didn't deserve a mentor like me. Redfeather's young and able to teach her way more than I had ever thought I could teach her._

Nightstar bit into the flesh with a new intensity_. I have to focus on my leadership duties. Not an apprentice._

She heard a rustle in the tunnel that made up the entrance of the camp and for a second she thought it was Badgerfrost. When she looked up, her heart sank with dread as she spotted Raggedstorm and Owlfeather padding into the camp, with a russet-red shape hanging limply between them. Heatherpaw's scent also drifted towards her nose.

She almost knocked over Eaglepaw in her haste to run towards her den.

"Nightstar!" the apprentice hissed as she darted past him. Before he could say any more, she was out of sight.

The leader hid inside the den, her black pelt bristling. Was that Redfeather? She thought. Why did Raggedstorm look as if he had caught a traitor-

"Nightstar,"

Raggedstorm padded into the den, his brown tabby coat ruffled and disheveled. "We have caught a traitor."

Nightstar closed her amber eyes, wanting to hit herself for being such a good guesser. She opened her eyes again to see Owlfeather pad into her den.

"A traitor?" she managed to choke out. She padded closer to the warriors, a bit surprised not to see Redfeather among them.

"Yes," Raggedstorm growled. "It was Redfeather."

Nightstar let out a hiss. Why does her guessing have to be so accurate? "Not possible!"

"It is very much so, Nightstar." Raggedstorm's eyes bore into hers with such intensity she thought she would burst into flames. "He has RiverClan scent on him."

Nightstar thought she would faint. Redfeather was one of her most trusted warriors. She even gave her_ apprentice_ to him!

"He has been giving away Clan secrets to Ravenstar," Owlfeather mewed, his gruff voice leaking with tiredness.

Nightstar bared her teeth in her fury. She even told Redfeather secrets she would keep from Badgerfrost, her_ deputy_. Her heart ached with betrayal, a feeling she rarely felt.

"Where is he?" she asked, her voice shaking with anger.

"In Cloverleaf's den," answered Raggedstorm quickly. "He had a nasty head wound."

Nightstar's fur bristled. "I was about to give him one just like that."

Raggedstorm blinked. The leader's hostility even surprised a warrior like him. He took a step forward.

"Nightstar," he mewed. "Wouldn't you like a few secrets from RiverClan?"

The ThunderClan leader froze.

"I'm sure Redfeather had picked up a few tips now and then."

Nightstar's intense gaze bore into Raggedstorm and a small smile crept onto her face. "Are you sure?" she asked.

Raggedstorm gave a curt nod. "Pretty sure. So he will be a sort of-"

"Double agent?" Owlfeather finished for him, a slight look of confusion on his face.

"Perfect," Nightstar purred, her amber eyes glittering with sudden malice. "I can keep him alive just long enough to discover RiverClan's most treasured secrets. Once he comes to, Raggedstorm,"

She turned to the warrior.

"Bring him to me."

Raggedstorm nodded. "Yes, Nightstar."

Owlfeather's eyes alternated between the two cats, not sure what to do. He quietly slipped out of the den, not wanting to interfere with business he couldn't understand.

He looked around the camp, watching for the familiar white pelt of his apprentice. He wanted to squeeze in a small training session before he caught up on his sleep.

"Where's Rosepaw?" he asked himself. He yawned, too lazy to go looking for her. "She can train herself," he told himself. "She's very good at that." Without another word, he slinked to the warrior's den, his dark tabby pelt melting in with the shadows.

Raggedstorm padded out of Nightstar's den as the warrior's tail disappeared into the den. The light brown tabby tom was proud of himself.

_This may be my first step to becoming deputy,_ he thought. _If I keep up like this, she might want to demote Badgerfrost for a more…suited cat. Me._

With a smile on his face, he headed towards the fresh-kill pile, his mouth salivating with hunger. Before he could even open his mouth to get a piece of prey, a yowl erupted from the entrance of the camp.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Heatherpaw pushed Eaglepaw off her with a playful shove.

"What did he think about that?" the tom asked her, shaking his dirty pelt.

The she-cat got onto her four paws again and blinked in confusion. "Who?" She started to lick her fur flat with her gentle tongue.

Eaglepaw tipped his head to the side. "Swiftpaw?"

Heatherpaw looked around, not seeing a trace of the ghostly cat. _Where did he go?_ she asked herself.

"He's gone," she mewed quietly and resumed licking her pelt.

"Where did he go?" Eaglepaw asked, starting to lick his ruffled brown tabby pelt just as Heatherpaw was doing.

The she-cat shrugged at his question. "I don't know. He never tells me that kind of stuff."

Eaglepaw abruptly stopped licking and flicked his ears, as if he heard something. His amber eyes widened in alert.

"What's wrong?" Heatherpaw asked him, noticing his hesitation.

"It's nothing," Eaglepaw admitted with a sigh. "I just thought I heard something, that's all."

The light brown tabby apprentice flicked her tail nervously. An uncomfortable feeling crept up her spine.

Eaglepaw brushed his tail along her back, noticing her sudden anxiety. "Don't worry," he mewed reassuringly. "It was _nothing_, trust me."

Heatherpaw gave him a wane smile. Ever since Redfeather attacked her, she had been more wary than ever. She then let out a purr.

"That was fun," she mewed, deciding to change the subject.

Eaglepaw nodded, grinning. "We should play-fight more often. You're a worthy opponent!"

Heatherpaw shuffled her forepaws on the ground with embarrassment. "You are too, you know."

Eaglepaw's eyes glinted. "Thanks. We should ask our mentors for a training session together."

Heatherpaw's heart lurched with the thought of Redfeather again. _He's not my mentor anymore, _she thought. _I wouldn't want him to be. Not now._

"Wouldn't Nightstar want you to train with Maplefur and I?" Eaglepaw asked her lightly, concern leaking into his voice.

Heatherpaw let out a growl. "It's not that, Eaglepaw. I'm sorry. I won't be training for a while."

The brown tabby tom's ears flicked forward in surprise. "Why?"

"Redfeather was my mentor."

"But…what happened to Nightstar?" he asked her.

Heatherpaw flattened her ears. "It's a long story," she murmured, looking at the ground under her.

Eaglepaw nodded, understanding. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it."

The light brown tabby she-cat looked at him with grateful heather-colored eyes. "Why are you so…perfect?" she asked him.

His expression was one of confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean," Heatherpaw mewed. She got up and brushed her flank against his, almost causing him to fall over with surprise. "You always try to flatter me, and-"

"Does it work?" Eaglepaw asked hopefully.

"It does now, mouse brain," she purred. "Just a couple of days ago you were just plain annoying,"

"I'm sorry." Eaglepaw's head hung low close to his furry chest.

Heatherpaw used her tail to lift the tom's head to meet her steady gaze. "But now I don't feel that way as-"

"So…" Eaglepaw interrupted her again, his voice sounding excited now.

"Don't get ahead of yourself now, Eaglepaw," Heatherpaw mewed, amused. "I didn't finish. Just that you're not annoying me-"

She could see Eaglepaw deflate a bit, his amber eyes losing its excited glitter.

"-as much as you did before." Heatherpaw gave him a playful shove.

Eaglepaw blinked at her, not sure what to say next.

"Don't look so down, Eaglepaw," Heatherpaw mewed, her heather-colored eyes twinkling. "I didn't say I _didn't_ like you."

Eaglepaw smiled. "So that means-"

"Again, don't get ahead of yourself. You toms are all very impatient!" Heatherpaw laughed.

"And you she-cats are all so very _confusing_!" Eaglepaw retorted, laughing along with her. He got up and lashed his tail, ready to pounce on Heatherpaw for another bout of play-fighting. Maybe that's what got her to liking him more…

"No, Eaglepaw," she mewed quickly. She looked up at the sky. "We have been gone too long. They will start to miss us."

The tom stood up straight again, his heart racing with anticipation. "Aw, Heatherpaw! What's your hurry?"

Heatherpaw blinked. _I want to go see Redfeather,_ she thought. _I want to know how he's doing…with his wounded head and all-_

Before she can finish the thought, Eaglepaw tackled her to the ground. She landed with a thud and she felt his sheathed front paws on her belly pinning her down.

"Eaglepaw!" she hissed into his ear. "I told you-"

Before she could finish the sentence, the tom was thrown off her. He landed with an 'oof' a few tail-lengths away from her. She quickly got up, not wasting time to see who knocked Eaglepaw clear across the clearing.

It was Foxpaw…

…and the she-cat didn't look happy.

* * *

**A little short, but whatever. :P**

**...and the usual maddening cliffie to accompany it, of course. **

**They don't call me wicked for nothin'. :)**


End file.
